Rourkela: Researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela have developed an innovative and biodegradable food packaging film that can monitor seafood freshness in real-time, offering a sustainable solution to food safety and waste reduction.
The packaging, created using kodo millet starch and beetroot peel extract, changes colour in response to pH variations, indicating food spoilage through visual cues. This first-of-its-kind technology detects volatile amines released during seafood deterioration.
“We combined kodo millet starch with beetroot peel extract, gum tragacanth and glycerol to create this responsive packaging material,” said Preetam Sarkar, associate professor at the department of food process engineering, who led the research team.
The film’s natural components include starch from kodo millet, gum tragacanth and betalains from beetroot peels, which provide both pH sensitivity and antimicrobial properties. This composition ensures the packaging is completely biodegradable and safe for food contact.
The innovation comes at a crucial time for India, the world’s second largest fish producer, contributing 8% to global fish production. As one of the top five shrimp producers globally, with frozen shrimp being a major export commodity, the country stands to benefit significantly from this technology.
Laboratory tests estimate the production cost at approximately Rs 900 per kilogram, which could reduce to Rs 400-600 per kilogram in industrial-scale production. The research team is currently exploring commercial applications with seafood industry stakeholders.
The findings have been published in the journal, Food Packaging and Shelf Life, with contributions from researchers across multiple institutions, including South Dakota State University (USA), IIT Roorkee and Lovely Professional University.