Fabrication and characterisation of fish gelatine-tapioca starch composite film incorporated with sucrose ester surfactant, and its application on shelf-life extension of cherry tomatoes

In the present work, the incorporation of hydrophobic sucrose ester (SE) surfactant at various concentrations (5 to 20%, w/w) biopolymer into fish gelatine-tapioca starch composite film resulted in several significant changes. Specifically, there was a decrease in tensile strength (TS) from 14.79 to 7.18 MPa, an increase in water barrier properties from 0.9 to 0.6 g mm/m2.h.Pa × 10-5, an increase in the contact angle of the film from 66° to 78°, and enhanced opacity when the SE concentration was increased from 5 to 20% (w/w) biopolymer. The present work is novel in its approach to incorporating a hydrophobic SE surfactant into a composite biopolymer-based film, which has not been extensively explored for its combined effects on mechanical, water barrier, and shelf-life extension properties in food packaging applications. Wrapping cherry tomatoes with this SE-incorporated composite film slowed the degradation processes, such as decreased redness intensity, weight loss, firmness, and acidity titratability, likely due to the film’s effectiveness in preventing moisture accumulation, which can accelerate bacterial and mould spoilage. The findings of the present work suggested that including SE as a packaging component could mitigate the hydrophilic nature of protein-carbohydrate-based films, thereby enhancing their effectiveness. The film’s improved resistance to external water molecule penetration suggested its potential as an alternative packaging solution for various food products.