Development and Characterization of Kappa‐Carrageenan/PVA Films Loaded With Clove Essential Oil for Active Food Packaging

The active packaging films were developed using kappa‐carrageenan and polyvinyl alcohol loaded with different concentrations (0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3%) of clove essential oil. The impact of oil addition on the physiochemical properties of the films was evaluated using various techniques. GCMS analysis of the oil demonstrated the presence of three primary compounds in the clove oil, including eugenol (82.09%), caryophyllene (13.89%), and α‐humulene (2.26%), which contribute to the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the oil, thereby influencing the functional performance of the developed films in food packaging applications. The opacity of the film samples increased (0.581 ± 0.031 to 1.243 ± 0.056) with the addition of oil, however, there was a significant difference in the overall color change (ΔE) of the film samples. The thickness (0.071 ± 0.001 to 0.127 ± 0.006 mm) and flexibility (11.73 ± 1.28 to 35.08 ± 2.56%) of the films were increased, while the tensile strength decreased (12.40 ± 0.74 to 3.34 ± 0.29 MPa) with the addition of oil in a concentration‐dependent manner. Additionally, the micrographs obtained for the film samples using scanning electron microscopy demonstrated the effect of clove oil on the microstructure of the films. Moreover, the thermal degradation and antioxidant activities of the films significantly improved with the addition of clove essential oil, as evidenced by the DPPH radical scavenging activity increasing from 1.27% in KCP1 to 57.21% in KCP4 and ABTS scavenging activity rising from 6.81% in KCP1 to 76.68% in KCP4. This study presents a promising approach to develop essential oil‐loaded active films with the potential to be used as packaging material.