In present work, the effect of kefir use on edible film quality was characterized, and the mold growth on the films was monitored. Kefir was used in the production of gelatinebased film at concentrations ranging from 10% to 50%. The thickness of the films did not change with the use of kefir, however, their density increased. Hydrophilic properties of the films increased due to the decrease in the contact angle values of the films. The addition of kefir increased the greenness and yellowness of films and more significantly the opacity. The surface morphology of the films improved with the use of kefir, however cloudy structures were observed with excessive use. Kefir has also slightly reduced the mechanical properties of the films. Maximum thermogravimetric weight loss was determined on films with 30 and 50% kefir added. While no growth of Aspergillus flavus and A. paraciticus was observed on the film surface for 10 days.
Novelty impact statement:In the food and packaging industry, efforts to increase the use of natural packaging materials such as environmentally friendly, biodegradable coating, and edible films that can be used instead of petrochemical packaging materials are gaining importance. For this purpose, in this study, the use of kefir in the production of edible films was considered as an alternative. The use of kefir, which has many health benefits, contains a wide variety of antimicrobials and is the source of some probiotic strains, in the production of edible films gains importance in terms of functional food development.