At present, the research and innovation of packaging materials are in a period of rapid development. Starch, a sustainable, low-cost, and abundant polymer, can develop environmentally friendly packaging alternatives, and it possesses outstanding degradability and reproducibility in terms of improving environmental issues and reducing oil resources. However, performance limitations, such as less mechanical strength and lower barrier properties, limit the application of starch in the packaging industry. The properties of starch-based films can be improved by modifying starch, adding reinforcing groups, or blending with other polymers. It is of significance to study starch as an active and intelligent packaging option for prolonging shelf life and monitoring the extent of food deterioration. This paper reviews the development of starch-based films, the current methods to enhance the mechanical and barrier properties of starch-based films, and the latest progress in starch-based activity, intelligent packaging, and food applications. The potential challenges and future development directions of starch-based films in the food industry are also discussed.

A reliable strategy for improving the stability and shelf life of protein-stabilized systems is by covalently attaching the protein onto a polysaccharide. In this study, ovalbumin (OVA) was modified with dextran (DEX) of different molecular weights by the Maillard reaction, and was used to enhance the stability of emulsions loaded with resveratrol. The surface hydrophobicity, thermal stability, and FT-IR spectroscopy of the OVA–DEX conjugates were evaluated. The results showed that the surface hydrophobicity of OVA decreased, while the thermal stability of OVA was significantly improved after DEX covalent modification. The OVA–DEX1k-stabilized emulsion exhibited high encapsulation efficiency of resveratrol, with the value of 89.0%. In addition, OVA–DEX was considerably more effective in droplet stabilization against different environmental stresses (heat, pH, and ionic strength). After 28 days of storage at 25 °C, the OVA-stabilized emulsion showed faster decomposition of resveratrol, whereas the OVA–DEX-conjugate-stabilized emulsion had approximately 73% retention of resveratrol. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of resveratrol-loaded emulsions stabilized by OVA–DEX was higher during storage under different temperatures. These results proved that the OVA–DEX conjugates had the potential to form stable, food-grade emulsion-based delivery systems against environmental stresses, which strongly supports their potential in the field of food and biomedical applications.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of retrograded resistant starch (RS3) (0, 2%, 4% and 6%; w/v) on the emulsion gel properties stabilized by myofibrillar proteins (MPs) and in vitro protein digestibility of the gels. The RS3 was prepared from corn or potato starch using the gelatinization–ultrasound–retrogradation method. The results showed that the addition of RS3 decreased the surface hydrophobicity (p < 0.05) and increased the fluorescence intensity of MPs, indicating enhanced protein–protein interactions. More stable emulsions stabilized by MP/RS3 mixtures were formed, along with higher electronegativity, a smaller droplet size and reduced creaming index. These changes promoted the formation of better gel networks with the oil droplets evenly dispersed, thus improving gel strength, water holding capacity (WHC) and texture, especially at the concentration of 6% RS3 added. The gel force results indicated that the addition of RS3 enhanced the hydrophobic interaction and disulfide bonds between MPs. LF-NMR and MRI data further confirmed that RS3 addition facilitated the migration of free water to immobilized water. Furthermore, the incorporation of RS3 caused a relatively lower pepsin digestibility but did not change the overall in vitro protein digestibility of the gels. This paper provides a method to produce high-quality low-GI meat products without degrading protein digestibility.