Chitosan Films: Modification, Use and Fictionalization with Electrochemically Activated Aqueous Solutions

Introduction: Prolongation of the shelf life of food products is an urgent issue of the food industry. This review of the subject field analyzes the scientific sources of published works on ways to change the properties of polysaccharides (from 2013 to 2023) in order to use them in the field of food packaging production.

Purpose: The aim of the work is to analyze the methods of modification of polysaccharides, the creation of biodegradable protective films, the use of such films, including in combination with the treatment of their surface with an electrochemically activated aqueous solution (ECAS).

Materials and Methods: The review includes scientific publications of Russian and foreign authors on the extension of the shelf life of food products using biodegradable protective films made of chitosan. The paper systematizes articles that were published in 2013–2023 in publications included in the Scopus and RSCI databases.

Results: Methods of directional change in the properties of polysaccharides, new types of films based on chitosan with the addition of various components, as well as the results of treatment of the film surface with an electrochemically activated aqueous solution are considered. This review will be useful in the development of food storage methods using packaging based on modified polysaccharides in combination with other protective equipment.

Conclusions: The review systematizes materials published over the past 10 years, which are aimed at developing ways to improve the properties of polysaccharide-based films. Analysis of the results shows that chitosan is already used for the manufacture of safe and biodegradable packaging. Such packaging becomes much more effective with the combined effect of physical or chemical means of disinfecting the surface of food products. Among them, perhaps the most promising is the additional treatment with the metastable fraction of ECAS, which simultaneously disinfects the surface of food products and increases their shelf life, without affecting the quality and organoleptic characteristics. 

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