Rizka Aulia Rahma, Widya Dwi Rukmi Putri, Ata Aditya Wardana, Fan Zhu, Ismina Dwi Purwati, Ahmad Zaki Mubarok, Mokhamad Nur
Real-time quality information on chicken freshness can be obtained using pH-sensing packaging. Real-time quality information on chicken freshness is crucial for ensuring food safety, as chicken is a highly perishable animal product prone to rapid spoilage. This study aimed to develop an pH-sensing film using red pitaya (red dragon) peel (RPP) to monitor chicken freshness. RPP containing 22% pectin, showed promise in forming a film and contains betacyanin, which is commonly used in pH-sensing films. The addition of konjac glucomannan (KGM) as a co-biopolymer to RPP films enhanced their physical and mechanical properties. We utilised Central Composite Design (CCD) within the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) framework, with varying concentrations of KGM from 0.80% to 2.20% and RPP from 0.40% to 1.10%. The optimal treatment involved using 1.74 g of KGM and 0.85 g of RPP powder. The variation in KGM and RPP powder concentrations resulted in the following outcomes: film thickness ranged from 0.11 to 0.15 mm, tensile strength from 2.4 to 7.03 MPa, elongation ranged from 22.50% to 49.17%, opacity from 3.68 to 6.50 mm−1, water solubility from 82.70% to 97.82%, lightness from 61.20 to 74.70, redness from 12.90 to 30.80, and yellowness from 0.20 to 2.80. The incorporation of KGM as a co-biopolymer demonstrably enhanced the physical and mechanical properties of RPP powder-based pH-sensing films. The results highlight RPP/KGM-based films as a novel, sustainable option for intelligent packaging, while promoting red pitaya peel waste as a renewable source of pectin and natural colorants. The freshness of chicken breast is indicated by the color change in RPP/KGM coatings, caused by betacyanin degradation from purple-red to yellow (betalamic acid). © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2025.
Food Science Study Program, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Food Science and Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Food Technology Department, Faculty of Engineering, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, 11480, Indonesia; Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
