Influence of codium tomentosum extract in the properties of alginate and chitosan edible films

The growing search for natural alternatives to synthetic food packaging materials and additives has increased, and seaweed extracts' bioactivity has made them suitable candidates for incorporation in novel edible films. This study aims to investigate the effect of Codium tomentosum seaweed extract (SE) incorporation in alginate and chitosan edible films. Alginate- and chitosan-based films with and without the incorporation of 0.5% SE were characterized according to their physical, optical, mechanical, and thermal properties. Seaweed extract incorporation in chitosan films resulted in an increase of film solubility (50%), elasticity (18%), and decrease of puncture strength (27%) and energy at break (39%). In alginate films, the extract incorporation significantly decreased film solubility (6%), water vapour permeability (46%), and elasticity (24%), and had no effect on thermal properties. Depending on the type of application, the addition of SE in edible films can bring advantages for food conservation.Acknowledgments: This study had the support of Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), through the strategic project UID/MAR/04292/2013 granted to MARE, and was partially supported by the projects CENTRO-07-0402-FEDER-23496 from the National Strategic Reference Framework (QREN), POCI-01-0247-FEDER-006392 through the COMPETE-Operational Competitiveness Programme and the project EASME/EMFF/2016/1.2.1.4/03/SI2.750419 by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, Action 1.2.1.4–Blue Labs: innovative solutions for maritime challenge. Ana Augusto wish to acknowledge the financial support given by FCT (SFRH/BD/131465/2017)