Development of Biodegradable PLA-Based Colorimetric Films Incorporating Red Cabbage Anthocyanin for Real-time Food Freshness Monitoring

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-668-5_74How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Smart packaging; polylactic acid; anthocyanin; red cabbage extract; food freshness

Abstract

Polylactic acid (PLA)–based colorimetric films containing red cabbage anthocyanin were developed as biodegradable, real-time freshness indicators for perishable foods. The films were prepared by solvent casting using ethyl acetate, with anthocyanin added at 1% (v/w) relative to the polymer solution. To enhance thermal stability and dimensional integrity, selected formulations were modified with 1 wt% talc as a nucleating agent and 0.5 wt% thermal stabilizer. The cast films, with thicknesses ranging from 0.10 to 0.20 mm, were dried for 24–48 h and subsequently annealed at 90 ℃ for 2 h.

The sensitivity of the films to pH variation and food spoilage was evaluated using buffer solutions (pH 4–10) and volatile compounds released from poultry meat at different freshness stages, at storage temperatures of 20 ℃ and 30 ℃. Color changes were quantitatively analyzed using digital image processing in the CIE Lab* color space, while thermal and thermomechanical properties were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and heat deflection temperature (HDT) measurements.

The films exhibited a distinct color transition from violet under fresh conditions (pH ≈ 6.5) to green and yellow as the pH increased to 7.5–9.5, consistent with the pH-dependent behavior of anthocyanins. Spoilage-related color changes were observed after approximately 12 h at 20 ℃ and 6 h at 30 ℃. Talc-filled and annealed films showed increased crystallinity, higher HDT values, and improved thermal stability. Overall, the developed PLA/anthocyanin films demonstrate strong potential as intelligent, biodegradable materials for real-time food freshness monitoring.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Fariz Amirli
AU  - Tarana Aghayeva
AU  - Aynur Mammadova
AU  - Rana Khankishiyeva
AU  - Gulnar Shirinova
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/14
TI  - Development of Biodegradable PLA-Based Colorimetric Films Incorporating Red Cabbage Anthocyanin for Real-time Food Freshness Monitoring
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Current Problems in Engineering and Applied Sciences (ICCPEAS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 721
EP  - 732
SN  - 2352-5401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-668-5_74
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-668-5_74
ID  - Amirli2026
ER  -