Physicochemical and Mechanical Properties of Carrageenan/Gelatin Film Incorporated with Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria)

Abstract

Packaging is the most crucial component in guaranteeing food safety. To address the issues of environmental pollution and resource depletion brought on by petrochemical-based, non-degradable and non-renewable plastic materials with sustainable alternative materials are urgently required. Food is frequently packaged in plastic, but consumers are constantly asking for safer substitutes. Although synthetic plastics made from petrochemical resources are convenient for packaging, a serious issue today is that they are not biodegradable or recyclable, leading to the production of enormous amounts of waste. The utilisation of biodegradable polymers derived from natural resources like polysaccharides and protein can be attributed to serve as an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic polymers. The study focused on the use of carrageenan and gelatin as the primary components in composite films incorporating with bottle gourd. The objective was to assess the physical, mechanical, and antioxidant characteristics of carrageenan/gelatin composite films blended with bottle gourd as bottle gourd has high amount of antioxidants.