# Development and Characterization of Peruvian Native Potato Starch/PVA-Based pH-Sensitive Films Incorporated with Purple Potato Anthocyanin Extract for Food Packaging

## TL;DR

This study creates pH-sensitive food packaging films using Peruvian potato starch and anthocyanin extract to monitor seafood freshness through visible color changes.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a novel pH-sensitive film formulation using Peruvian native potato starch and anthocyanin extract for intelligent food packaging.

## Key findings

- Films showed significant color changes (ΔE values) when in contact with seafood, indicating freshness.
- Higher starch concentrations reduced solubility and mechanical strength of the films.
- The 50:50 PVA-APN ratio provided optimal freshness indication for fish and shrimp.

## Abstract

Intelligent films (IFs) incorporating natural colorants and biodegradable materials offer innovative solutions for monitoring food freshness and spoilage. This study evaluated the impact of varying the PVA-APN ratio on films formulated with Peruvian Purple Potato starch (APN) and anthocyanin extract (AE). The research focused on the effects of PVA on physicochemical and mechanical characteristics, as well as the color changes observed when the films were used with seafood. The results indicated a decrease in chroma a* and an increase in chroma b* when the films were in contact with different buffer solutions (from acidic to alkaline). Solubility decreased with higher starch concentrations and the mechanical properties revealed a reduced tensile strength and elongation with increased APN concentration. The films effectively indicated freshness, with the best ΔE values for the 50:50 formulations (13.6 ± 1.6 and 12.04 ± 2.8 for fish and shrimp, respectively), making them promising candidates for intelligent seafood packaging.