Optimization of Edible Coating Formulations from Marine Resources: Carrageenan Combined with Cornstarch Using Response Surface Methodology

Abstract This study focuses on optimizing carrageenan-cornstarch edible coatings to address the challenges of water resistance and improve the functional properties of biopolymer-based food packaging. Unlike previous studies, this research emphasizes the use of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to systematically optimize the formulation, providing a novel approach to achieving multi-response optimization with minimal experimental effort. Thirteen formulations were prepared with varying concentrations of carrageenan (1-2 grams), cornstarch (0-2 grams), and glycerol (1% v/v) to minimize key parameters, including thickness, moisture content, swelling, solubility, spectrophotometric properties, and Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR). The R² values for these properties were: 81.18% (thickness), 98.51% (moisture content), 63.88% (swelling), 96.69% (solubility), 74.04% (spectrophotometric properties), and 64.09% (WVTR). The optimal formulation (1.04 grams of carrageenan and 1.69 grams of cornstarch) produced an edible coating with desirable properties: 0.08 mm thickness, 32.18% moisture content, 11.48% swelling, 1.81% solubility, 4.90% spectrophotometric, and 0.04 g/(m 2 .24h) WVTR. This formulation achieved a desirability score of 0.6321, demonstrating its potential as a sustainable alternative for food packaging with enhanced performance.