Synergistic reinforcement of chitosan coating films by Haematococcus pluvialis residue-derived protein and carbon dots for active food packaging.
Haematococcus pluvialis defatted residue (HPR), an underutilized byproduct of astaxanthin extraction, was valorized into dual-functional components, HPR-derived protein (HPRP) and carbon dots (CDs). These were synergistically incorporated into a chitosan (CS) matrix to develop active coating films. The CDs (2.45 nm) ex...