Creating Edible Films from Fish Gelatin and Garlic Oil

Jenn Hoskins
2nd June, 2024

Creating Edible Films from Fish Gelatin and Garlic Oil

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • The study by the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG) focused on improving fish gelatin films for packaging by adding garlic essential oil
  • Garlic essential oil was found to enhance the barrier properties of the gelatin films, making them less permeable to water vapor
  • The optimal film, with the best tensile strength and elongation, was produced using garlic oil extracted at 55°C with a 1:2 cosolvent ratio
Agro-industrial co-products, such as fish gelatin, offer promising potential for biopolymeric film production due to their biocompatibility and non-toxic nature. However, their hydrophilicity poses a challenge in applications like packaging. A recent study conducted by the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG) explored the enhancement of fish gelatin films by incorporating garlic essential oil to improve their protective barrier properties[1]. Fish gelatin is derived from the partial hydrolysis of collagen, a protein found in animal skins and tendons, including those of fish. Collagen fibers from fish skin have been shown to possess excellent mechanical properties[2]. In this study, Nile tilapia skin gelatin was cross-linked with gallic acid, resulting in a hydroxyproline content of 10.02 g per 100 g and a gel strength of 287 g, aligning with previous findings on collagen's mechanical properties[2]. The incorporation of garlic essential oil into the gelatin films aimed to address the hydrophilicity issue. Garlic, known for its antibacterial properties due to oil-soluble organosulfur compounds like allicin, ajoenes, and allyl sulfides, has been traditionally used to treat bacterial infections[3]. The essential oil extraction utilized supercritical CO2 (Sc-CO2) as a solvent, a technique praised for its efficiency and environmental benefits over conventional methods[4]. The extraction process included ethanol as a cosolvent and was conducted at various temperatures (40°C and 70°C) and cosolvent ratios (1:1 and 1:3). The study found that the highest yield of garlic oil on a dry basis was achieved at 70°C with a 1:1 cosolvent ratio. Films incorporating garlic oil exhibited lower water vapor permeability (WVP) compared to films with only cross-linked gelatin, indicating enhanced barrier properties. Notably, the film with the optimal tensile strength (19.07 MPa), elongation (120.91%), and WVP (1.09 (g m-1 s-1 Pa-1) 1011) was produced using garlic oil extracted at 55°C and a 1:2 cosolvent ratio. Thermal analysis of the films indicated increased melting temperatures with the addition of garlic oil, suggesting low thermal degradation. These findings highlight that garlic oil can significantly improve the mechanical and barrier properties of fish gelatin-based films, making them suitable for biodegradable packaging applications. In summary, the study by FURG demonstrates that incorporating garlic essential oil into fish gelatin films can overcome the hydrophilicity challenge and enhance the films' properties, offering a promising solution for sustainable packaging. This research builds on previous studies on collagen's mechanical properties[2] and the benefits of Sc-CO2 extraction[4], while leveraging garlic's antibacterial potential[3][5] to create a multifunctional biopolymeric film.

BiochemSpicesMarine Biology

References

Main Study

1) Preparation of films based on reticulated fish gelatin containing garlic essential oil.

Published 1st June, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114496

Related Studies

2) Mechanical Properties of Porcine and Fish Skin-Based Collagen and Conjugated Collagen Fibers.

https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13132151

3) Antibacterial Properties of Organosulfur Compounds of Garlic (Allium sativum).

https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.613077

4) Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of plant phytochemicals for biological and environmental applications - A review.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129525

5) Allicin Inhibits Proliferation and Invasion in Vitro and in Vivo via SHP-1-Mediated STAT3 Signaling in Cholangiocarcinoma.

https://doi.org/10.1159/000490019


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