Effect of Tea Polyphenols on Curdlan/Chitosan Blending Film Properties and Its Application to Chilled Meat Preservation

Incorporating phenolic acids into polysaccharide films improves their physical properties, in turn improving their potential commercial applicability as a preservation material for different foods. This study aimed to develop films from curdlan and tea polyphenols, and determine the effect of their contents on the water vapor permeability (WVP) and mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation at break) of the films. Different ratios of tea polyphenols were incorporated into the curdlan-based films to improve their properties. The results obtained showed that the tensile strength and elongation at break of films were likely to be significantly decreased by adding tea polyphenols, especially at a content of 0.6%, which resulted in a 50% decrease. Meanwhile, the WVP and moisture content of the films was also decreased. However, a low WVP can prevent moisture loss from food. Other film properties, such as antioxidant efficiency, were also investigated. The results showed that the antioxidant potential of the film can be improved by tea polyphenols. The composite films were also applied to the preservation of chilled meat, which resulted in the shelf life being extended by about 3–5 days. Some properties, such as water resistance and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging capacity of the composite film, were improved.