Effect of Lachnanthocarpone on the Structural and Functional Properties of a Protein-Starch-Based Film: A Promising Alternative for Active Packaging

Due to their adaptability, plastics are used in everyday products, including food, which need to be protected to retard spoilage reactions like lipid oxidation. However, today, the interest is in developing active food packaging materials with natural compounds such as α-tocopherol and lachnanthocarpone (2,6-dihydroxy-9-phenyl-1H-phenalen-1-one). The first is a natural antioxidant that has been successfully incorporated in different films. The second is a powerful natural antioxidant, with more than twice the activity of Trolox in vitro, which has scarcely been explored for its application in food or food packaging. The objective of the study presented here was twofold: first, it intended to evaluate, through a solvent-casting technique, the effects of these two antioxidants on some properties of films based on cassava starch and concentrated whey protein, and second, it aimed to analyze the biodegradability and functionality of lachnanthocarpone for developing active packaging using a commercial fresh-semi-hard cheese as a reference food. Results of the study showed significant differences between the films with antioxidants and the control film (without antioxidants); thus, the latter had the highest light transmittance of the films, indicating that the food was subjected to more significant oxidative damage. On the other hand, the former showed biodegradability characteristics and less quantity of hexanal production after 30 days of storage, which demonstrated its protective effect on the reference food, leading to lower lipid oxidation. These results suggest that the developed films with incorporated antioxidants are a promising alternative for reducing plastic food packaging materials, with the added value of oxidative protection.