Development of κ-carrageenan/tourmaline composite for active food packaging applications: Improved mechanical, gas barrier, and antimicrobial

In order to solve the environmental pollution problems of traditional food packaging films, a kind of antibacterial packaging film based on κ-carrageenan and tourmaline powder was prepared. The addition of tourmaline powder as an inorganic filler improved the mechanical properties and gas barrier properties of κ-carrageenan films, and tourmaline had the function of spontaneously generating negative ions (NAIs) to give the film the antibacterial effect. With the increase in the amount of tourmaline powder, the water vapor permeability and oxygen permeability decrease, the water contact angle becomes larger, and the thermal degradation temperature increases. When the additional amount of tourmaline powder is 0.75 (%, w/v), the elongation at break and tensile strength can reach 39.356 % and 8.952 MPa. The κ-carrageenan/tourmaline composite film has an inhibitory effect on foodborne S. aureus, the best inhibition rate was obtained at 39.80 %. The weight loss of the figs packaged with this film is reduced, and the decay rate is slower. These results indicated that the κ-carrageenan/tourmaline composite film is promising in the food industry. [Display omitted]