NIT Rourkela develops biodegradable film to monitor real time seafood freshness

In a groundbreaking innovation, a research team from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela, has developed an intelligent food packaging film using natural and biodegradable materials that can visually indicate the freshness of seafood. 

Led by Prof. Preetam Sarkar, Associate Professor in the Department of Food Process Engineering, the team has created a pH-sensitive packaging film from Kodo millet starch, gum tragacanth, and beetroot peel extract. 

The film reacts to the release of volatile amines—compounds emitted during spoilage—by changing colour, providing a real-time, non-invasive indicator of seafood freshness.

The research, published in the journal Food Packaging and Shelf Life, is the first known use of Kodo millet starch for such an application. The film not only indicates spoilage but also aligns with global sustainability goals. 

Key components like betalains in beetroot peels give the film its colour-changing and antimicrobial properties, while also utilising food industry waste efficiently.

“Our goal was to create a material that is natural, effective, and scalable,” said Prof. Sarkar. “The film is biodegradable, eco-friendly, and can play a vital role in reducing food waste.”

The project is a collaboration involving scholars from NIT Rourkela and experts from Lovely Professional University, IIT Roorkee, and South Dakota State University, USA. The cost of production at lab scale is approximately Rs 900 per kilogram, but mass production could bring it down to Rs 400–Rs 600, making it commercially viable.

The team is now in talks with seafood industry stakeholders to test the film in real-world scenarios.