ABSTRACT
Fungal melanin was used to prepare gelatin-based composite films. The films of various melanin concentrations (0.1%, 0.5% and 1% w/w) were prepared using a solution casting method. The mechanical, antioxidant, antimicrobial, water vapor, oxygen and UV-Vis barrier properties, as well as any available surface polyphenolics were studied. FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy studies were carried out to analyse the chemical composition of the resulting films. The hydrophobocity, solubility, colour response, optical properties and opacity were also determined. The results of this study showed that the modification of gelatin with fungal melanin had no influence on mechanical and water vapor barrier properties, oxygen barrier properties were improved. The UV-Vis barrier properties of modified films were significantly improved. Modified gelatin films showed good antioxidant activity but were inactive against microorganisms. The modification with melanin caused changes in colour values, decreasing lightness and increasing the redness and yellowness of the films. Based on the results of this study, fungal melanin has good potential to be utilised as a value-added modifier that can improve the properties of gelatin films.
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