Development of starch-based films reinforced with curcumin-loaded nanocomplexes: Characterization and application in the preservation of blueberries

Abstract

In current study, curcumin-loaded bioactive nanocomplexes (Cur NCs) (2 %, 5 %, 8 %, and 11 %) were used to prepare corn starch (CS)-based composite films (CS-Cur NCs). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy revealed that Cur NCs were uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix via physical interaction. Moreover, the mechanical, gas barrier, hydrophobicity, optical, and thermal properties and the antioxidant activity of composite films were potentially improved with the addition of Cur NCs. Subsequently, CS-based film with 11 % Cur NCs exhibited high antioxidant activity (the scavenging rates of DPPH and ABTS are 50.07 % ± 0.82 % and 65.26 % ± 1.60 %, respectively) and was used for packaging blueberries. Compared with the control, the CS-Cur NCs packaging treatment effectively improved the appearance and nutrition of blueberries, and maintained the high activity of several antioxidant enzymes. Furthermore, CS-Cur NCs packaging treatment significantly improved the ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) levels, thus regulating the AsA-GSH cycle system and suppressing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In summary, the CS-Cur NCs packaging could effectively conserve the postharvest quality of blueberries by improving antioxidant enzyme activity and suppressing excessive accumulation of ROS, which contributes to the development of bioactive packaging and provides novel insights into the preservation of blueberries. This work demonstrates that the development of active packaging is promising to absorb the oxidative radicals from food, and protect the food from inherent and external factors, thus enhancing the quality, security, and shelf-life of the food during storage.

Keywords: Bioactive packaging; Food preservation; Nanocomplexes; Natural antioxidants.