Improving food packaging safety through cold plasma-treated edible films with Carum copticum extracts

Abstract This research addresses the growing need for sustainable food packaging solutions by developing composite edible films that integrate Carum copticum extract into a matrix of chitosan, polyethylene, fish gelatin, gum arabic, and corn starch. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact of cold plasma treatment on enhancing the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of these films. C. copticum extract is encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles using a two-step emulsion and gelation method characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). Response surface methodology is employed to optimize polyethylene films, resulting in five variants that are evaluated for their microbial, antioxidant, and physical attributes, including tensile strength. Results indicate a significant improvement in tensile strength (Ts) with the inclusion of Ca C. copticum rum copticum extracts. The films exhibit substantial antioxidant activity (IC 50  = 1.48 mg mL⁻1) resulting from the integration of natural antioxidants and industrial antibacterial agents. Notably, cold plasma treatment enhances the antimicrobial efficacy of the polyethylene films compared to untreated controls. This study underscores the potential of combining natural extracts and cold plasma technology to advance the functional properties of edible films, thereby improving food safety and efficiency in food packaging applications through innovative hydrocolloid-based materials.