Creating Smart Packaging Film with Garcinia Mangostana L. Pericarp Powder for Fish Fillets Monitoring

Abstract

Ensuring the freshness of food products is a critical factor influencing consumer perception and acceptance, which directly relates to food safety and quality. To support responsible consumption and minimize food waste, this study introduces smart packaging technology designed to monitor the freshness of perishable goods. Specifically, smart packaging films were developed by incorporating mangosteen pericarp powder (MPP) and anthocyanin extract (ATH) from Garcinia mangostana L. to assess the freshness of fish fillet. Among the formulations, the starch-MPP film demonstrated superior pH sensitivity, making it more suitable as a smart packaging indicator due to its distinct color change response. Furthermore, the starch-MPP film exhibited the highest antioxidant activity at 96.88%, compared to the Starch-ATH film (85.83%), contributing to the preservation of food quality. When applied to fish fillet stored at 5 °C for two days, the starch-MPP film showed visible color shifts in response to pH changes caused by the release of nitrogenous compounds, indicating spoilage. This underscores the potential of starch-MPP films as an eco-friendly innovation for real-time freshness monitoring, contributing to both public health and sustainable food systems.