Production of gelatin- carrageenan based biodegradable film and defining some properties

Environmental concerns in the food packaging industry have increased research on natural and renewable polymers. On the other hand, contemporary consumers are increasingly interested in more sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging. In this thesis study, a biodegradable composite film based on chicken gelatin and carrageenan has been developed as an alternative to petroleum-derived plastic packaging. To improve the physicochemical properties of the biopolymer film, a combination of natural cross-linkers, caffeic acid and rutin, was used. In the study, the effects of the chicken gelatin/ƙ-carrageenan (0- 2%) combination on film properties such as film thickness, moisture content, opacity, color parameters, water solubility, water vapor permeability, and mechanical strength were evaluated. One of the main objectives of the study is to promote the use of biopolymers derived from edible sources such as chicken gelatin and carrageenan to enhance the sustainability of food packaging. Additionally, this study adopts an environmentally friendly approach by utilizing poultry industry waste and developing alternatives to plastic packaging. According to the research results, it was observed that the properties of chicken gelatin changed with the addition of carrageenan. The tensile strength increased with the addition of carrageenan. An increase in carrageenan concentration reduced water vapor permeability. In this study, it was observed that the water vapor permeability value of the sample containing 2.0% carrageenan (0.0012 g.mm/h.m2.kPa) was approximately half that of the control sample. In terms of color and opacity properties, the addition of carrageenan increased the L* (brightness) and opacity values. The results obtained indicate that there is an opportunity to develop an effective film formulation with the combination of chicken gelatin and ƙ-carrageenan. Keywords: Chicken gelatin, carrageenan, biopolymer film, sustainable packaging, natural cross-linkers, food packaging