Impact of various surfactants on the properties of fucoidan-based biopolymer films extracted from brown seaweed (Padina boergesenii) for active food packaging.

This study investigates the effect of various surfactants, such as Lecithin, Span 80, and Tween 80, on the physicochemical properties of biopolymer films fabricated from fucoidan extracted from brown seaweed and gelatin. The fucoidan was extracted from brown seaweed (Padina boergesenii) using a modified formalin and ethanol precipitation method to obtain a sulfated polysaccharide and combined with gelatin to make composite films by casting method. Surfactants were introduced to enhance oil (juniper berry oil) dispersion and modify the film's characteristics. The tensile strength, thickness, gloss value, haze value, and transmittance of the film sample increased with the addition of essential oil and surfactant. The SEM analysis revealed that Tween 80 fabricated smooth and defect-free biocomposite films. The XRD analysis revealed the semi-crystalline structure, and FTIR confirmed functional group interactions. The TGA analysis indicated a decrease in the thermal stability of oil-loaded film samples. The biodegradability study of fabricated films in natural soil and seawater suggested that the film without oil degrades more quickly compared to oil-loaded samples. These findings highlight the critical role of surfactants in the development and use of biopolymer films for food packaging.