Development of Photo-Active Chitosan-Based Films with Riboflavin for Enhanced Antimicrobial Food Packaging Applications.

ABSTRACT: This study reports the development of chitosan-based (CS) films incorporating riboflavin (RF) as a natural photosensitizer to create sustainable, light-activated antimicrobial packaging materials. The films were prepared by solvent casting, and their photochemical behavior under blue LED light (450 nm) was investigated, including RF photodegradation kinetics and structural changes in the film-forming solution analyzed by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Mechanical, thermal, optical, and barrier properties were also characterized to assess packaging suitability. Upon illumination, CS/RF films generated reactive oxygen species, particularly singlet oxygen (¹O₂), leading to visible color changes and significant antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas fluorescens

SUBMITTER: Genovese J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12608488 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature