Active food packaging based on chitosan–lignin with encapsulated argan oil for meat shelf-life extension

Abstract

In recent years, the demand for sustainable and functional food packaging derived from bio-based resources has increased significantly. This study reports the development of an active bio-based film with antioxidants, antibacterial, and UV-shielding properties, based on chitosan and lignin, aimed at extending the shelf life of meat products. The film incorporates argan oil microcapsules, in which argan oil is encapsulated within an alginate shell and dispersed in a chitosan–lignin matrix. The structural, thermal, and functional properties of the films were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-visible spectroscopy. The incorporation of argan oil microcapsules significantly improved antioxidant activity, with DPPH radical scavenging increasing from 48.3% to 64.6%. In addition, the films exhibited antimicrobial potential, extending the shelf life of meat by approximately one additional day compared with control films without microcapsules. A preliminary application test using ground meat showed improved visual color stability when packaged with the microcapsule-containing film compared with the control film during short-term storage. They also show an increased elongation at break, more than doubling from 16.03 ± 1.70% to 34.97 ± 2.85%, confirming that the presence of microcapsules improved film flexibility by facilitating plastic deformation. Moreover, the films demonstrated excellent UV-blocking capability, with absorbance values close to 4.0 A.U. across the UV region (200–570 nm), indicating that the UV-barrier properties were largely preserved after microcapsule incorporation. These results highlight the strong potential of chitosan–lignin films containing argan oil microcapsules as sustainable active packaging materials for protecting perishable foods and extending shelf life.