Characterization of a starfish gelatin film containing vanillin and its application in the packaging of crab stick.

To explore the use of starfish gelatin (SFG) films as a biodegradable material, SFG from starfish was extracted and used as a film material. In addition, to provide antimicrobial activity and enhanced flavor of SFG films, vanillin was incorporated. As the concentration of vanillin increased, the tensile strength of the films increased and water vapor permeability decreased. With regard to the structural characteristics of SFG films containing vanillin, the microstructure of the SFG films was not affected by the addition of vanillin. In addition, the SFG films containing vanillin exhibited antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes. As the application of the SFG films, crab sticks were packed with SFG films containing 0.05% vanillin. During storage, the populations of L. monocytogenes inoculated on crab sticks wrapped with SFG films containing vanillin were lower than those on the control sample, suggesting that SFG films containing vanillin can be useful in active food packaging.