Starch-pectin smart tag containing purple carrot peel anthocyanins as a potential indicator of analogous meat freshness.

Smart films of starch/pectin and purple carrot peel (PCP) containing anthocyanins were developed, characterized, and used as pH-responsive tags to monitor plant-based chicken analogous. This study innovates by incorporating PCP in the film solution both as an extract and as a powder, and the resulting tags were applied to a plant-based food. PCP powder <100-mesh was directly incorporated into the film-forming suspension. For powder >100-mesh, two extracts were tested: an aqueous solution and a 1 % NADES solution added to the film-forming suspension. Quantification of PCP anthocyanins by HPLC showed a higher extraction under acidic conditions (1664 mg C3G equivalents 100 g^-1). Films with PCP presented greater light protection. Films with 15 % and 25 % PCP and those with added extract showed better tensile strength (3.0-3.6 MPa), elongation at break (16-20 %) and a water contact angle of 52°. All films responded to pH variations (1 to 14) and ammonia vapor and showed ΔE* values >5. After 3 days, films used as smart tags monitoring chicken analogous presented noticeable color differences for PCP_NADES (55 ± 8) and 15%PCP (40 ± 1). PCP showed strong potential as a pigmenting agent in films, especially as an aqueous extract with NADES for use as pH-responsive tags in chicken analogous.