Electrospun Smart Oxygen Indicating Tag for Modified Atmosphere Packaging Applications: Fabrication, Characterization and Storage Stability

Abstract

Pack integrity is essential for the success of modified atmosphere packaging of food products. Colorimetric oxygen leak indicators or tags are simple and smart tools that can depict the presence or absence of oxygen within a package. However, not many bio-based electrospun materials were explored for this purpose. Ultraviolet light-activated kappa-carrageenan-based smart oxygen indicating tag was developed using the electrospinning technique in this study and its stability during storage was determined. Kappa-carrageenan was used with redox dye, sacrificial electron donor, photocatalyst, and solvent for preparing oxygen indicating electrospun tag. Parameters of electrospinning namely flow rate of the polymer solution, the distance between spinneret and collector, and voltage applied were optimized using Taguchi L9 orthogonal design. Rheological and microstructural studies revealed that the electrospinning solution was pseudoplastic and the mat fibers were compact and non-woven with an average fiber size of 1–2 microns. Oxygen sensitivity at different oxygen concentrations revealed that the tag was sensitive enough to detect as low as 0.4% oxygen. The developed tag was stable for at least 60 days when stored in dark at 25 °C and 65% RH. The developed mat could be highly useful in modified atmosphere packaging applications to check seal integrity in oxygen devoid packages.

Synthesis and Characterization of a New Alginate/Carrageenan Crosslinked Biopolymer and Study of the Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Anticancer Performance of Its Mn(II), Fe(III), Ni(II), and Cu(II) Polymeric Complexes

“…It is extensively exploited in the food industry, due to its thickening, gelling, and stabilizing characteristics. Recently carrageenan biopolymer has shown excellent capacities in different applied fields such as biomaterials, drug delivery, medicine, packaging, and pollutant adsorption [21][22][23][24][25]. The macromolecular chains of these natural polysaccharides are considered effective in chelating polyvalent metal ions.…”

Recent Developments in Shape Memory Elastomers for Biotechnology Applications

“…The stimulus could be strain, stress, temperature, pressure, electric and magnetic fields, irradiation, or chemicals. Examples of smart materials include coatings that transform colour owing to the presence of chemicals, materials that have a shape memory at specific temperatures and paint that self-heals when it is scratched [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Smart materials can acquire, convey, or process a stimulus and reply by creating a 'useful' effect.…”