Fabrication and evaluation of physicochemical properties of probiotic edible film based on pectin–alginate–casein composite

The objective of this study was to develop a casein-based edible film for the entrapment of probiotic Enterococcus faecium Rp1. Casein, pectin, sodium alginate and glycerol were used to prepare the film. In this study, the physicochemical and morphological properties of casein-based edible film and its impact on the stability of probiotic were evaluated. Surface morphology and properties of the film were tested using a scanning electron microscope, fluorescence microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Probiotic-incorporated casein-based edible film showed significant improvement in the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties and enhanced the structural, optical and thermal properties. Furthermore, the film was found to be desirable to carry probiotics, with the viability of 10⁷ CFU mL^?1 rate up to 30 days of storage at 4 °C. Hence, the current study suggests a probiotic-incorporated casein-based edible film for active packaging of food products.