Development of Hybrid Film Based on Carboxymethyl Chitosan-Gum Arabic Incorporated Citric Acid and Polyphenols from Cinnamomum camphora Seeds for Active Food Packaging

In this study, carboxymethyl chitosan with gum Arabic (CG) based novel functional films containing Cinnamomum camphora seeds extract (CCSE) at varying concentrations (0.5, 1.2 and 2% in w/w) were successfully fabricated. Moreover, sixteen phenolic compounds were identified by liquid chromatography and electrospray-ionized quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QTOF-MS) and the most abundant organic acid was citric acid (present at 1062.55 μg/g dry weight in CCSE). The resulting CG-ANC.P film was comprehensively characterized in terms of physicochemical properties, morphological characteristics, molecular properties, melting, and bioactivities properties (antimicrobial, antioxidant and biodegradability). CCSE inclusion into CG resulted in a marked increase (33.01–63.23 MPa) of tensile properties, with optimum thickness. The swelling degree, water solubility, and water vapor permeability were markedly (p < 0.05) reduced from 54.21 to 31.70%, 32.05 to 14.02%, and 3.46 to 1.12 × 10−11 g−1 s−1 Pa−1, respectively. The open control and CG samples showed much higher peroxide values of sunflower oil (69.49 ± 0.68 and 20.15 ± 0.31 mEq/kg, respectively) while CG-CCSE2 exhibited a low value (9.79 ± 0.28 mEq/kg) after 28 days incubation. The CG biodegradable film with the addition of CCSE (2%) was optimal for producing functional films with antioxidant and antibacterial properties.