Towards Sustainable Food Packaging: A Study of Konjac Glucomannan and κ-Carrageenan Synergy

This study investigates the synergistic effect of konjac glucomannan (KGM) and k-carrageenan (k-CG) in developing sustainable food films. KGM and k-CG were dissolved at various ratios (20:80 to 80:20 KGM/k-CG ratio), casted, and dried. The resulting films were characterized by their mechanical properties, water vapor permeability, and water solubility. The results showed that the combination of KGM and k-CG resulted in a synergistic effect on the water solubility of the films, which decreased significantly compared to the individual components. The tensile strength increased significantly while the elongation at break decreased the more k-CG was added. An optimal point was found at a 60:40 ratio. The water vapor permeability of the films was also significantly higher compared to PVC film or k-CG film, indicating a lesser barrier property. X-ray diffraction investigation shows that films are amorphous (whereas pure kappa is crystallized), and no co-crystallization was observed based on the different KG/ k-CG ratios. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of combining KGM and k-CG to develop sustainable food films with enhanced properties. Using natural polysaccharides in the food industry can contribute to developing eco-friendly and sustainable packaging solutions.