Biodegradable sodium alginate films incorporated with lycopene and β-carotene for food packaging purposes.

This article focuses on the development and evaluation of active biodegradable sodium alginate films incorporated with the carotenoids lycopene and β-carotene for food packaging applications. The films, prepared via a two-stage cross-linking casting technique with carotenoid concentrations of 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5%, exhibited uniform structure and improved water vapor barrier, light transmission, and thermal stability compared to control films, although their tensile strength and elongation at break decreased. Notably, films with 0.3% carotenoids demonstrated significant antioxidant capacity by effectively retarding the oxidation of sunflower oil under accelerated storage conditions, outperforming traditional plastic packaging. These findings suggest that sodium alginate films containing lycopene or β-carotene have potential as functional food packaging materials, with further research needed on carotenoid release and antioxidant effects in food systems.