Development and physicochemical characterization of a novel intelligent composite films incorporating curcumin into levan-chitosan

Chitosan, levan and curcumin (Cur) were used to produce active functional films by solution casting method. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray test results showed that the Cur was uniformly dispersed in chitosan and levan matrix. The addition of Cur decreased the moisture content and swelling water slightly without changing the thermal stability of the composite film. The UV-barrier increased by 73.4%. And the highest scavenging activity of ABTS and DPPH was 91.01 ± 1.08% and 78.84 ± 1.22% in the composite film containing 0.4% Cur. The release profiles of Cur into 90% and 50% ethanol solution showed that the Cur release was diffusion driven and reached up to nearly 90% in 50% ethanol. Experiments on the capacity of detect NH3 vapor and pH-sensitivity showed that the b* and L* values decreased to negative value. Therefore, the prepared LE/CS/Cur composite film had the potential to be used as an easy-to-use, nondestructive smart packaging material for food products and as a means of monitoring NH3 gas in environmental applications.