Bioactive composite films with improved antioxidant and barrier properties prepared from sodium alginate and deep eutectic solvent treated distillers' grains

In this work, a straightforward approach utilizing distillers' grains (DG) waste and sodium alginate (SA) was developed to prepare functional and bioactive packaging films. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were initially synthesized from choline chloride (CO), betaine (BO), glycerol (GO), and oxalic acid . Composite films were then prepared from DES-treated DG slurry and SA at different ratios. Characterization and analysis revealed that adding 75 % CO-treated DG slurry reduced the water vapor permeability (WVP) by over 66 % compared to that of the SA film. Composite films containing CO/BO-treated DG slurry had an ultraviolet light barrier rate exceeding 99 %, while those with 75 % DES-treated DG slurry demonstrated excellent antioxidant activity , with a 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) free radical scavenging rate of 80.14 %–88.35 %, representing a 322.45 %–365.73 % increase compared to that of the pure SA film. These composite films also exhibited favorable mechanical properties (31.58 MPa, 5.53 % EB), thermal stability , and biodegradability , extending the shelf life of grapes by 1.8 times. In conclusion, bioactive composite films derived from DES-treated DG are expected to replace petroleum-based plastics, enhancing sustainable biomass use and environmental responsibility.