Curcumin and silver nanoparticles loaded antibacterial multifunctional pectin/gelatin films for food packaging applications.

Renewable biomass-based materials have a huge potential to replace petroleum-based products in food packaging. Herein, pectin/gelatin films loaded with curcumin and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are prepared by solution-pouring technology to serve as antimicrobial multifunctional food packaging films. AgNPs and curcumin are found to equally distribute in the films. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) reveal the hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction among curcumin, AgNPs, pectin and gelatin. The composite films show good antioxidant activity, mechanical performance, hydrophobicity and antibacterial ability. The films of P-GCA 0.5 showed 99.57 ± 0.16 % and 100 % inhibition against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. The films also demonstrate excellent water vapor barrier qualities. In addition, the composite films possess pH-responsive color change behaviors from yellow (pH 3-8) to light red (pH 8-9) to dark red (pH 11-12), which is suitable for monitoring the freshness of shrimp packaging based on pH changes during deterioration process. As sustainable biomass-based materials, the multifunctional composite films are promising in intelligent food packaging applications.

Sustainable papaya plant waste and green tea residue composite films integrated with starch and gelatin for active food packaging applications.

This study explores the sustainable utilization of wastes from a papaya plant (papaya peels (PP), papaya seeds (PS), leaf-stem (PL)) and dried green tea residues (GTR) for the synthesis of bioplastics. The dried GTR were individually blended with each papaya waste extract and then boiled in water to get three composite papaya plant waste-green tea supernatants. Potato starch and gelatin-based functional films were prepared by integrating each with the composite papaya waste-green tea supernatant liquid. This work introduces a dissolved organic matter (DOM) study to the field of bioplastics, with the goal of identifying the organic components and macromolecules inherent in the PW supernatants. When compared with the films prepared solely from papaya waste (PW) supernatants, PW-GTR composite supernatant films prevent UV light transmission with superior antioxidant and mechanical properties. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were utilized to characterize the starch and gelatin PW-GTR films. Owing to the exceptional antioxidant, UV barrier, and remarkable biodegradable properties of the starch/PW/GTR and gelatin/PW/GTR composite films, make them ideal for use in food packaging applications.

Nanovesicles as Vanillin Carriers for Antimicrobial Applications.

Vanillin is a natural compound easily extracted from plants. It has neuroprotective, anti-carcinogenic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-biofilm properties. It also presents high volatility, high hydrophilicity, and low bioavailability. Nanomaterials can be used to improve pharmacodynamics, solubility, and stability and to enhance pharmacokinetics. In this work, non-ionic surfactant vesicles were synthesized as vanillin carriers: neutral niosomes formed by Span60 and cholesterol, positive charged niosomes formulated with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and negatively charged niosomes formulated with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Niosomes synthesis was carried out with two commonly used methods: thin film hydration (TFH) and ethanol injection method (EIM). The niosomes synthesized were used to prepare two different materials: (i) a powder containing the lyophilized noisome with vanillin systems and (ii) a gelatin matrix film containing niosomes with vanillin. Lyophilization was carried out using maltodextrin as a cryoprotectant. The lyophilization of colloidal structures allows for storage at room temperature for long periods of time, keeping their organoleptic characteristics invariable. Niosomes were characterized before and after the lyophilization process in terms of morphological characterization, size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential. Moreover, niosomes cargo was evaluated by calculating the encapsulation efficiency (EE) and loading capacity (LC). Results showed that the use of the TFH method allowed us to obtain niosomes of 255 nm with high EE (up to 40%) and LC values higher than EIM. The lyophilization process decreased the LC of the vesicles prepared, but this decrease was mitigated by up to 20% when ionic surfactants were used on the membrane bilayer. Gelatin films are biodegradable materials suitable for food packing applications. The incorporation of a natural compound with antimicrobial activity would be a clear advantage for such an application. The films prepared were characterized in terms of morphology, water solubility, color, and transparency. Niosomes synthesized by thin film hydration had better chemical and physical properties to load vanillin. Especially in the case of application in films, niosomes with a negative charge, formed by SDS, and vanillin loaded gave better mechanical and chemical characteristics to the film.

Changes in Quality of Cold-Pressed Rapeseed Oil with Sinapic Acid Ester-Gelatin Films during Storage.

In recent years, cold-pressed rapeseed oil (CPRO) has become an attractive health-beneficial product and a promising alternative to olive oil. However, a high level of unsaturated fatty acids renders a CPRO more susceptible to oxidative deterioration. Therefore, the effect of new gelatin strips with polyvinyl alcohol (GEL-PVA) and sinapic acid esters (ethyl sinapate-ESA; octyl sinapate-OSA, and cetyl sinapate-CSA) on the oxidative stability, antioxidant activity (AA), and total phenolic content (TPC) in CPRO samples was analyzed during accelerated storage. In addition, the antioxidant properties of the GEL-PVA films loaded with sinapic acid esters were studied. Interestingly, the CPRO stored in an amber glass marasca bottle containing GEL-PVA-ESA strips for 14 days had the highest AA, while the antioxidant potential was the lowest for oil without film strips. Furthermore, oil samples stored in bottles containing GEL-PVA-ESA and GEL-PVA-OSA strips for 14 days had higher antioxidant properties than the AA and TPC in fresh CPRO. Moreover, synchronous fluorescence (SF) spectroscopy and excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy were applied for the evaluation of changes in the main fluorescent components in CPRO samples during the accelerated storage. Overall, this study revealed that GEL-PVA films incorporated with sinapic acid esters enhanced the antioxidant potential of CPRO and delayed oxidative degradation by releasing amphiphilic antioxidants into the oil.

Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles for Preparation of Gelatin Films with Antimicrobial Activity.

Silver nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using Thuja orientalis aqueous extract and AgNO3 as a precursor. UV-Vis showed a distinct absorption peak at 424 nm attributed to silver nanoparticles due to their surface plasmon resonance. Atomic absorption analysis reflected an increase in the concentration of nanoparticles in relation to the progress of the synthesis, obtaining a peak concentration value of 15.7 mg/L at 50 min. The FTIR spectra revealed the characteristic functional groups of phytomolecules involved in the silver-ion binding process, such as R-O-H (3335 cm-1) O=C-OH (2314 cm-1) and C-C=C (1450 cm-1). At 50 min, zeta potential showed the stability of the nanoparticles with the value of -21.73 mV. TEM micrographs revealed the formation of spherical nanoparticles with an average size of about 85.77 nm. Furthermore, films incorporated with nanoparticles exhibited a Tg from 66.42 °C to 73.71 °C and Tm at 103.31 °C. Films from the G22 formulation presented excellent antibacterial properties inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. Thuja orientalis aqueous extract could be a low-cost, eco-friendly, and efficient reducing and capping agent for the synthesis of nanometric-sized Ag particles. Gelatin films with nanoparticles are expected to have high potential as an active food packaging system.

Development of Intelligent Gelatin Films Incorporated with Sappan (Caesalpinia sappan L.) Heartwood Extract.

This study aimed to develop intelligent gelatin films incorporated with sappan (Caesalpinia sappan L.) heartwood extracts (SE) and characterize their properties. The intelligent gelatin film was prepared through a casting method from gelatin (3%, w/v), glycerol (25% w/w, based on gelatin weight), and SE at various concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00%, w/v). The thickness of the developed films ranged from 43 to 63 µm. The lightness and transparency of the films decreased with the increasing concentration of SE (p < 0.05). All concentrations of gelatin films incorporated with SE exhibited great pH sensitivity, as indicated by changes in film color at different pH levels (pH 1−12). Significant decreases in tensile strength were observed at 1.00% SE film (p < 0.05). The addition of SE reduced gelatin films' solubility and water vapor permeability (p < 0.05). The chemical and physical interactions between gelatin and SE affected the absorption peaks in FTIR spectra. SE was affected by increased total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity of the gelatin film, and the 1.00% SE film showed the highest TPC (15.60 mg GAE/g db.) and antioxidant activity (DPPH: 782.71 µM Trolox/g db. and FRAP: 329.84 mM/g db.). The gelatin films combined with SE could inhibit S. aureus and E. coli, while the inhibition zone was not observed for E. coli; it only affected the film surface area. The result suggested that gelatin films incorporated with SE can be used as an intelligent film for pH indicators and prolong the shelf life of food due to their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.

Surface Profile Studies of Photoinduced Gratings Made with DCG Films with Optional Papain Development.

The use of surface relief structures is increasing in the field of optics. A study of photoinduced relief using dichromated gelatin films with different thickness is described in this paper. Two light sources were used: a laser (λ = 468 nm) and an ultraviolet mercury-metal halide lamp. Gratings with low spatial frequencies were contact-copied on the DCG (dichromated gelatin) films. Two development processes were used, one included washing the plates with just water and the other with a mixture of water and papain. This enzyme is used to improve the gratings' relief which was studied with a profilometer. For the development process with just water, it was found that when gratings were recorded using visible or UV light, the height profile inversely correlated to spatial frequencies. For short exposure times, the reliefs showed a sinusoidal profile. When visible light was used, the DCG areas where the Ronchi grating had transparent slits showed a flat relief and the areas where the Ronchi grating had opaque slits showed a round peak, with the peak being taller than the flat surface. In contrast, when UV light was used, the flat surfaces were taller than the peaks. The relief height increased up to seven times when papain was used.

Development and Characterization of Active Gelatin Films Loaded with Rapeseed Meal Extracts.

The use of industrial waste as a material for the development of natural innovative and active packaging is economically and environmentally appealing. The aim of this study was to develop and characterize active gelatin films incorporating rapeseed oil industry waste. Water (RM-WE) and methanolic (RM-MWE) extracts of rapeseed meal (RM) were used as active agents in film formulations. The active films were produced by a casting technique. The physicochemical, mechanical, optical, morphological, radical scavenging, and antibacterial properties of the films were analyzed. The addition of RM-WE and RM-MWE in the concentrations range between 4 and 12% promoted an increase of Young's modulus (YM) and radical scavenging properties of films investigated by the direct QUick, Easy, New, CHEap and Reproducible procedure using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (QUENCHERDPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6- sulfonic acid) (QUENCHERABTS) radicals. The antibacterial properties of films were examined against five bacterial strains: E. coli, S. enterica, M. luteus, L. monocytogenes, and S. aureus. Additionally, color and opacity of the control and fortified films differed significantly. The gelatin films with RM extracts are resistant to the microbial spoilage and could be used to produce active packaging for food that is vulnerable to rancidity effects.

Development and in vitro evaluation of mucoadhesive gelatin films for the vaginal delivery of econazole.

Several strategies have been explored to obtain effective econazole nitrate (ECN) concentrations at the site of application for a prolonged time. In this paper, different gelatin-based film formulations for vaginal application were investigated, containing ECN (10% w/w with respect to gelatin) as pure drug or as drug-solid dispersions (SD). For the production of SD, different polymers were evaluated: polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), Soluplus® (polyvinyl caprolactam-polyvinyl acetate-polyethylene glycol graft copolymer) and Gelucire® 50/13 (mixture of mono-, di- and triglycerides of fatty acids, esters of PEG 1500 and free PEG). Gelucire®-SD showed the best solubility enhancement, increasing 9.2 times the ECN solubility in pH 4.5 solution respect to pure drug; DSC and XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline form of the drug. XRD results evidenced that all gelatin-based films, containing either the drug or the SD, underwent the topotactic transformation of ECN into crystalline econazole (EC), owing to a strong interaction between the drug and the gelatin. Films containing Gelucire®-based SD displayed lower brittleness and rigidity with respect to the other samples; moreover they demonstrated good structural integrity after 24 h of incubation in the acidic solution (swelling degree of about 350%). Then, Gelucire®-SD based films were compared with the corresponding formulations cross-linked by genipin (2% w/w). The addition of genipin did not interfere with the drug-gelatin interaction. Gelucire®-SD based films showed similar release profiles to neat gelatin films, enhancing the drug release in the first 5 h and controlling the EC release over time, avoiding the use of a crosslinking additive. Finally, gelatin films containing Gelucire® solid dispersion displayed good adhesiveness and anti-Candida activity. Overall, results support the potential use of this film formulation as noncytotoxic EC delivery system for the treatment of vaginal candidiasis.

Preparation and physicochemical characterization of films prepared with salmon skin gelatin extracted by a trypsin-aided process.

The recovery of gelatins from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) skin for film formation and characterization was studied. Fish skins pre-treated with trypsin (250 U/g) produced the highest hydroxyproline content (7.41 ± 0.49 mg hydroxyproline/g treated skin) and yield (53.05 ± 4.38%) of gelatin, as compared to the use of saline solution. Pre-treatment with a lower concentration of trypsin (1 U/g) at a shorter pre-treatment time successfully reduced the degradation of gelatin with co-production of high molecular weight α-chains. Gelatin was further extracted by a trypsin-aided process for film formation and characterization. Films with increasing protein concentration (from 1 to 5%, w/v) exhibited higher thickness, tensile strength, and elongation at break (EAB), but a marked decrease in EAB for films with 6 and 7% (w/v). Films with 5% proteins showed higher thickness, lower tensile strength and higher EAB with increasing concentrations of glycerol (from 10 to 50% of proteins, w/w). All films exhibited high water uptake, decrease in light transmission and an increase in opacity as the protein and glycerol contents increased. Electrophoretic studies showed that the increase in the mechanical properties of the films was correlated with the increase in protein concentration, owing to the increased content of high molecular weight chain fractions. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the interaction between the proteins and glycerol for all films. This study demonstrated the viability of the trypsin supplementation process to obtain salmon skin gelatin for film formation.

Preparation, physicochemical and biological evaluation of quercetin based chitosan-gelatin film for food packaging.

Ecofriendly chitosan-gelatin (Ch-ge) bio-composite films containing Quercetin-starch (Q) were synthesized using solution casting method. Physicochemical characteristics and mechanical properties of the resulting chitosan-gelatin containing Quercetin-starch films (Ch-ge-Q) were studied using UV, FTIR, XRD and SEM techniques. The films were also investigated for their swelling, water-vapor permeability (WVP), water solubility properties. The FTIR spectra confirmed the chemical interactions between the chitosan-gelatin and Q. Surface morphology of prepared film was analyzed by the SEM imaging while XRD spectra suggest the expanded crystallinity of the film with the addition of Q. The film also showed enhanced barrier property against UV rays. The reduction of water-vapor permeability and increase in tensile strength while a decrease in elongation at break has been observed in the Ch-ge-Q film compared to Ch-ge film. The antibacterial activity of Ch-ge-Q film against both gram positive (B. substilis) and gram negative (E. coli) bacteria suggested the Q loaded Ch-ge films as more feasible antibacterial candidate especially against the strain E. coli. The antioxidant activity of the Ch-ge-Q film was evaluated using the DPPH and ABTS as standards and corresponded to 81.45% of DPPH and 72.2% of ABTS scavenging activities. It was observed that the film containing Quercetin-starch presented superior antioxidant activity results in comparison to Ch-ge film promising its application in food packaging.

Development of antimicrobial gelatin films with boron derivatives.

Food packaging technology has been advancing to provide safe and high quality food products and to minimize food waste. Moreover, there is a dire need to replace plastic materials in order to reduce environmental pollution. The aim of this study was to prepare biodegradable antimicrobial packaging films from gelatin. Boric acid, disodium octaborate tetrahydrate, and sodium pentaborate were incorporated as the antimicrobial agents. Films containing boric acid and its salts showed antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as antifungal and anticandidal effects against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. The mechanical strength of the films was mostly enhanced by the addition of boron derivatives. The rheological measurements and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy results suggest that boron derivatives did not interfere with the network formation during gelling. The morphology of boron-added antimicrobial films was found to be similar to the morphology of the control . In conclusion, the newly developed gelatin films containing 10% or 15% disodium octaborate (g/g gelatin) might be good candidates for biodegradable antimicrobial packaging materials.

The modification of gelatin films: Based on various cross-linking mechanism of glutaraldehyde at acidic and alkaline conditions.

In order to investigate the effect of glutaraldehyde (GTA) on the structure, mechanical properties and thermal stability of gelatin films, gelatin films modified by GTA at various pH (4.5, 6.5, and 11), were prepared. According to FTIR analysis, the reaction mechanism between GTA and gelatin was different at various pH. With the addition of GTA, the intermolecular forces (hydrogen bonds and ionic bonds) and triple helix structure of gelatin film were significantly disrupted. At pH 4.5, gelatin films modified by GTA showed the highest mechanical properties and thermal stability among all films, which tensile strength and residues in TGA up to 16.13 MPa and 15.05%, respectively. Therefore, an optimum pH was around 4.5 in gelatin films cross-linked by GTA.

Physico-mechanical properties of gelatin films modified with Lysine, Arginine and Histidine.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the plasticizing effect of Lysine (Lys), Arginine (Arg) and Histidine (His) on gelatin films. Gelatin films incorporated with Lys, Arg and His at different levels (0, 0.5 and 1.0%) were prepared. The films without amino acids were prepared as controls. The addition of Lys increased the elongation at break (EAB) but decreased the tensile strength (TS) compared to the control, especially at 1.0% incorporated level. Arg had cross-linking effect on gelatin films through hydrogen bonds demonstrated by FTIR Analysis, which increased TS of the films. His films showed worse EAB, transmission and transparence compared to the control. Furthermore, the addition of Lys and His reduced L* value and a* value with the coincidentally increased b* and ΔE* values compared with the control. Thermal stability (DSC) and UV light barrier of gelatin films were improved by the addition of three kinds of amino acids. Thus, Lys and Arg had potential to improve the properties of gelatin films as natural plasticizer and cross-linker, respectively.

Gelatin based bio-films prepared from grey triggerfish' skin influenced by enzymatic pretreatment.

Gelatins from grey triggerfish skin were extracted with different methods. The treatment by pepsin (PG) improved the yield of extraction when compared with untreated gelatin (UG) and acidic gelatin (AG). The outputs of gelatins AG, UG and PG, obtained respectively, with acitic acid, glycine buffer and glycine buffer added with 5U of pepsin/g of the skin beforehand treated by alkali, were 6.9%, 7.9% and 9.7%, respectively. The enzymatic treatment of the alkali-pretreated skin of grey triggerfish altered the electrophoresis profile, biophysical, gellification, rheological and thermal properties of the prepared gelatins extracted under acidic condition. However, the untreated gelatin obtained without pepsin exhibited the highest transition and enthaply temperatures. In addition, the properties of the prepared films were interconnected to their microstructure as demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, films with PG and UG had a regular surface and a more condensed structure, whereas films prepared with AG had rougher surface.

Surface attachment of active antimicrobial coatings onto conventional plastic-based laminates and performance assessment of these materials on the storage life of vacuum packaged beef sub-primals.

Two antimicrobial coatings, namely Sodium octanoate and Auranta FV (a commercial antimicrobial composed of bioflavonoids, citric, malic, lactic, and caprylic acids) were used. These two antimicrobials were surface coated onto the inner polyethylene layer of cold plasma treated polyamide films using beef gelatin as a carrier and coating polymer. This packaging material was then used to vacuum pack beef sub-primal cuts and stored at 4 °C. A control was prepared using the non-coated commercial laminate and the same vacuum packaged sub-primal beef cuts. During storage, microbial and quality assessments were carried out. Sodium octanoate treated packages significantly (p < 0.05) reduced microbial counts for all bacteria tested with an increase of 7 and 14 days, respectively compared to control samples. No significant effect on pH was observed with any treatment. The results suggested that these food grade antimicrobials have the potential to be used in antimicrobial active packaging applications for beef products.

Obtainment and partial characterization of biodegradable gelatin films with tannic acid, bentonite and glycerol.

BACKGROUND: Research studies concerning the overall effect of the addition of plasticizers, cross-linking and strengthening agents in gelatin film-forming mixtures are very scarce. Also, there are no studies focused on the interactions among their individual components, or showing what sort of effects they might cause all together. A gelatin film obtained from a composite consisting of tannic acid, bentonite and glycerol was evaluated. Nine gelatin films were manufactured by the casting method, using these materials, following a 2(3) factorial design with five replicates on the central point. RESULTS: The interactions among gelatin, tannic acid and bentonite caused a decrease in hydrogen bonds, while the polar groups of the gelatin chains were less exposed to interactions with water molecules. There was an increase in temperature and enthalpy of gelatin denaturation, due to increasing tannic acid and bentonite concentration. Tactoids were found in the gelatin films, caused mainly by bentonite polydispersion. CONCLUSIONS: A synergistic effect among tannic acid, bentonite and glycerol, which overall improved the measured gelatin film properties, was found. The best film formulation was that with 40, 150 and 250 g kg(-1) gelatin of tannic acid, bentonite and glycerol respectively, displaying a tensile strength of 38 MPa, an elongation at break of 136%, water vapor permeability of 1.28 × 10(-12) g (Pa s m)(-1) and solubility of 23.4%. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Water resistance and mechanical property improvement of tilapia (Tilapia zillii) scale gelatin films by dehydrated thermal treatment.

The effect of dehydrated thermal treatment on the tilapia scale gelatin films was investigated to improve their water resistance and mechanical properties. The gelatin extracted from tilapia scales was mainly composed of ß-chain, α-chain and their degraded products with imino acid content of 21.2 %. When the films prepared from tilapia scale gelatin were heated at 80 °C, no significant changes in the properties of films were observed. As heating temperature was increased to 100 or 120 °C, the tensile strength of films was increased gradually with increasing thermal treatment time, while film solubility and protein solubility were decreased. Based on the SDS-PAGE analysis and the protein solubility of the gelatin films in various protein denaturant solutions, it was found that the cross-linking in the gelatin film network between ß-chain and α-chain could be induced by heating at 120 °C. It was revealed that the main interactions involved in the gelatin film formation were changed from ionic bonds and hydrogen bonds to hydrophobic interactions and covalent bonds, leading to improve water resistance properties of films.

Effect of transglutaminase on properties of tilapia scale gelatin films incorporated with soy protein isolate.

The effect of transglutaminase (TGase) on the properties of tilapia scale gelatin films in the presence of soy protein isolate (SPI) was investigated. When 3% TGase was added into gelatin films, the total soluble matter and protein solubility of films were decreased from 89.36% and 92.78% to 35.83% and 40.05%, respectively, and the decline was promoted by adding 5% SPI. The strength of the films was increased by adding 1% TGase irrespective of SPI addition, but decreased when the TGase concentration was further raised. No obvious colour change was observed in the films with or without TGase and SPI. Based on the results of SDS-PAGE, DSC and SEM, it was revealed that the movement of low molecular weight hydrophilic protein was depressed by the cross-linking network structure induced by TGase and SPI during film drying, indicating that adding SPI is essential to improve the thermal stability and water resistance properties of TGase-induced gelatin films.

Tailoring the properties of gelatin films for drug delivery applications: influence of the chemical cross-linking method.

Two types of chemically cross-linked gelatin films were prepared and characterized. The first type of films was cross-linked with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) under heterogeneous conditions and are named Gel-E. In the second type of films, gelatin was previously functionalized with methacrylamide side groups by the reaction with methacrylic anhydride and for that is named Gel-MA. The modified gelatin was subsequently cross-linked by a photoinitiated radical polymerization. These films were characterized relatively to their degree of cross-linking, buffer uptake capacity, resistance to hydrolytic and proteolytic degradation, and mechanical and thermal properties. Results show that the employed cross-linking method, together with the degree cross-linking, dictate the final properties of the films. Gel-E films have significant lower buffer uptake capacities and higher resistance to collagenase digestion when compared to Gel-MA films. Additionally, Gel-E films exhibit higher values of stress at break and lower strains at break. Moreover, the films properties could be modified by varying the extent of the chemical cross-linking, which in turn could be controlled by varying the concentration of EDC, for the first type of films (Gel-E), or by using gelatins with different degrees of functionalization, in the case of the second type of films (Gel-MA).