Publication

Abstract : The increasing global demand for intelligent packaging to mitigate food waste necessitates the development of safer, fully biodegradable sensing platforms capable of detecting food degradation. A sustainable, colorimetric composite film was fabricated using hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) functionalized with naringin, via green solvent-based solution casting process. This film functions as an active food barrier, offering strong UV blocking and inherent antioxidant properties, while maintaining optical clarity, allowing visual perception of packaged contents. Upon exposure to ammonia, film undergoes a distinct, concentration- and time-dependent colorimetric shift from pale yellow to deep reddish-brown, providing a direct visual indication of spoilage. This feature surpasses conventional “best-before” labels, which often fail to accurately report real-time freshness.Spectroscopic datas confirmed the colorimetric mechanism arises from naringin deprotonation, forming phenolate anions and causing a bathochromic shift.The optimal formulation also demonstrates superior physical properties, with improved mechanical strength, 41.4% increase in water resistance, and 5.7% reduction in water vapor permeability, along with a 65-day soil burial period for complete biodegradation. This work positionsHEC/PVA/naringin composites as an effective, sustainable, and intelligent packaging solution that simultaneously protects food quality through active barriers and offersreal-time visual monitoring of spoilage without any instrumentations.