Sustainable development of chitosan-gelatin composite films for food packaging using crude chitosan extracted from American lobster (Homarus americanus) shell waste
In this study, crude chitosan extracted from American lobster shells (Homarus americanus) was used to develop bio-based films. These films were prepared using solvent casting at various drying temperatures (37, 60, and 80 °C) and enhanced by blending with sunflower oil and gelatin from fish skin. St...
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666893925001264 |
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| author | Abhinav Jain Beth Mason Marianne Su-Ling Brooks |
| author_facet | Abhinav Jain Beth Mason Marianne Su-Ling Brooks |
| author_sort | Abhinav Jain |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, crude chitosan extracted from American lobster shells (Homarus americanus) was used to develop bio-based films. These films were prepared using solvent casting at various drying temperatures (37, 60, and 80 °C) and enhanced by blending with sunflower oil and gelatin from fish skin. Structural and thermal analyses (FT-IR, XRD, and TGA) demonstrated excellent compatibility between the extracted chitosan and fish gelatin. A 1:1 blend of these biopolymers resulted in films with increased flexibility and reduced water vapor permeation compared to pure chitosan films. Adding 10 % (w/w polymer) sunflower oil improved surface hydrophobicity and reduced swelling without compromising strength. Higher drying temperatures increased swelling, stretchability, and opacity, but decreased tensile strength and vapor permeability. Films prepared at 80 °C exhibited the best elasticity (100.4 %) and the lowest vapor permeability (1.2 g.mm/kPa.h.m2) while maintaining adequate tensile strength (27 MPa). This study demonstrates a sustainable approach for developing chitosan-gelatin composite films using renewable marine processing byproducts. In particular, the applicability of crude chitosan extracted from waste lobster shells (without additional purification steps) as a cost-effective and sustainable feedstock is highlighted, offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastic food packaging. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e598bc07f64c4649ae86e0eeb805ff36 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-8939 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications |
| spelling | doaj-art-e598bc07f64c4649ae86e0eeb805ff362025-08-20T03:45:10ZengElsevierCarbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications2666-89392025-06-011010078810.1016/j.carpta.2025.100788Sustainable development of chitosan-gelatin composite films for food packaging using crude chitosan extracted from American lobster (Homarus americanus) shell wasteAbhinav Jain0Beth Mason1Marianne Su-Ling Brooks2Department of Process Engineering and Applied Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada; Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment, Sydney, Nova Scotia, B1M 1A2, CanadaVerschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment, Sydney, Nova Scotia, B1M 1A2, CanadaDepartment of Process Engineering and Applied Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada; Corresponding author.In this study, crude chitosan extracted from American lobster shells (Homarus americanus) was used to develop bio-based films. These films were prepared using solvent casting at various drying temperatures (37, 60, and 80 °C) and enhanced by blending with sunflower oil and gelatin from fish skin. Structural and thermal analyses (FT-IR, XRD, and TGA) demonstrated excellent compatibility between the extracted chitosan and fish gelatin. A 1:1 blend of these biopolymers resulted in films with increased flexibility and reduced water vapor permeation compared to pure chitosan films. Adding 10 % (w/w polymer) sunflower oil improved surface hydrophobicity and reduced swelling without compromising strength. Higher drying temperatures increased swelling, stretchability, and opacity, but decreased tensile strength and vapor permeability. Films prepared at 80 °C exhibited the best elasticity (100.4 %) and the lowest vapor permeability (1.2 g.mm/kPa.h.m2) while maintaining adequate tensile strength (27 MPa). This study demonstrates a sustainable approach for developing chitosan-gelatin composite films using renewable marine processing byproducts. In particular, the applicability of crude chitosan extracted from waste lobster shells (without additional purification steps) as a cost-effective and sustainable feedstock is highlighted, offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastic food packaging.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666893925001264Lobster shellsChitosanFish gelatinEdible filmsPhysicochemical propertiesDrying temperature |
| spellingShingle | Abhinav Jain Beth Mason Marianne Su-Ling Brooks Sustainable development of chitosan-gelatin composite films for food packaging using crude chitosan extracted from American lobster (Homarus americanus) shell waste Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications Lobster shells Chitosan Fish gelatin Edible films Physicochemical properties Drying temperature |
| title | Sustainable development of chitosan-gelatin composite films for food packaging using crude chitosan extracted from American lobster (Homarus americanus) shell waste |
| title_full | Sustainable development of chitosan-gelatin composite films for food packaging using crude chitosan extracted from American lobster (Homarus americanus) shell waste |
| title_fullStr | Sustainable development of chitosan-gelatin composite films for food packaging using crude chitosan extracted from American lobster (Homarus americanus) shell waste |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sustainable development of chitosan-gelatin composite films for food packaging using crude chitosan extracted from American lobster (Homarus americanus) shell waste |
| title_short | Sustainable development of chitosan-gelatin composite films for food packaging using crude chitosan extracted from American lobster (Homarus americanus) shell waste |
| title_sort | sustainable development of chitosan gelatin composite films for food packaging using crude chitosan extracted from american lobster homarus americanus shell waste |
| topic | Lobster shells Chitosan Fish gelatin Edible films Physicochemical properties Drying temperature |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666893925001264 |
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