Agarose‐Based Films Enriched With Ascorbic Acid for Inhibiting Enzymatic Browning and Extending the Shelf Life of Fresh‐Cut Apples

ABSTRACT In this study, agarose‐based films enriched with ascorbic acid (AA@Ag) were developed and evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing enzymatic browning in fresh‐cut apples. Structural and physicochemical analyses confirmed the successful incorporation of ascorbic acid (AA) into the agarose matrix, accompanied by concentration‐dependent modifications in film morphology and properties. The AA@Ag‐4 film exhibited reduced moisture content (6.70%), solubility (18.33%), and swelling ratio (39.40%), along with increased opacity (50.96%) compared to the pure agarose film. In antioxidant assays, AA@Ag‐4 exhibited high radical‐scavenging activity, with DPPH and ABTS values of 90.53% and 94.03%, respectively. Antimicrobial activity increased with increasing AA concentration, with inhibition zones reaching 30.6 mm against Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and 30.0 mm against Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) . During 12 days of storage, coated apple samples maintained higher L * values and exhibited a lower browning index (BI) than the control group. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity was also reduced, with AA@Ag‐4 samples showing 79.2 U/mL compared to 131.3 U/mL in the control. These findings demonstrate that AA@Ag films reduced enzymatic browning in fresh‐cut apples under the tested storage conditions, as evidenced by improved color stability and lower PPO activity. The observed antioxidant and antimicrobial properties indicate the potential of these films for active food packaging applications; however, further validation under real food storage conditions is required.