Nanocomposite films were obtained by solution casting method from aqueous solution of bovine gelatin with addition of various concentrations of magnetic iron oxide (MIO) nanoparticles (NPs) (5, 10, 15, and 20% w/w of dry gelatin). The incorporation of MIO NPs improved the mechanical and physical properties of the nanocomposites. The increase in concentration of NPs up to 10% improved barrier and mechanical properties which slightly decreased after increasing the concentration beyond that limit due to particle agglomeration. The scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) were used to evaluate the morphology and crystalline structure of gelatin nanocomposite films, respectively. Gelatin nanocomposites with 20% w/w NPs exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli (7.1 ± 0.085 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus (8.22 ± 1.04 mm). Finally, the potential of gelatin/MIO nanocomposites as packaging material was evaluated to extend the shelf life of grapes. The gelatin/MIO nanocomposites can be used as a replacement to non‐biodegradable packaging.

In this study, food grade nanoemulsions (NEs) were prepared with polyphenols (curcumin, gallic acid and quercetin); NEs were incorporated into the film forming solution at various concentrations (5%, 10% and 20% v/w of gelatin plus carrageenan). Moisture content and water solubility of film samples decreased with increasing NE concentration. Curcumin NE-loaded gelatin composite films exhibited highest antioxidant activity (27.20 ± 0.02, 45.9 ± 0 and 60.51 ± 0.36%) at 5%, 10% and 20% NE concentrations, respectively. Curcumin NE-loaded composite gelatin films also exhibited antimicrobial activity against both Salmonella typhimurium (6.97 ± 0.03 mm) and Escherichia coli (7.47 ± 0.09 mm). The chemical finger printing of films was evaluated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Curcumin NE-loaded films showed excellent results by increasing the shelf-life of fresh broiler meat up to 17 days in comparison to control (10 days), hence can be used as alternative to conventional packaging.

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There is an urgent need to increase the food supplies to fulfil the demands of future generations as the population of the world is expected to grow beyond 10 billion by 2050. An essential component for ensuring global food security is to reduce food losses during the post-harvest stage. Active edible coatings and films are a promising sustainable preservation technology for shelf-life extension of food products by hindering decay kinetics of minimally processed fruits and vegetables (F&V), by restricting the mass transfer of moisture, aroma, or gases and carrying an active compound, such as an antioxidant or antimicrobial. Active protein-based coatings and films have the potential to extend the shelf-life of food products by decreasing their respiration rates, as they exhibit an excellent gas barrier and good mechanical properties as compared to other biopolymeric packaging. Among protein-based biopolymers, casein and its derivatives as packaging films have been extensively studied due to their low cost, complete biodegradability, and availability. Currently, there is no review study focusing on caseinate-based active coating and film, thus, this review aims to give insights on the composition, rheology, structure, and properties of caseinate-based formulations by critically discussing the results presented in the literature. A methodological approach was followed to obtain relevant literature to discuss the influence of additives on the shelf-life of F&V. Furthermore, changes in secondary structure of casein were observed after incorporation of bioactive compounds (i.e., phenolic acids). Likewise, there is a need to explore chemical interactions among bioactive compounds and biopolymer material by using in silico and laboratory trials as food additives have shown to influence the physicochemical properties of film and shelf-life of food products.