Integrating starch-red cabbage anthocyanin intelligent films with artificial neural networks for real-time monitoring of poultry freshness

The global food packaging industry is shifting toward sustainable, bio-based materials that combine active protection with intelligent monitoring capabilities. This study aimed to develop and characterize starch-based films incorporating 20, 30, and 40% of red cabbage anthocyanins (RCA) as dual-functional active and intelligent packaging systems, coupled with an artificial neural network (ANN) model for predicting chicken breast freshness based on film colorimetric responses. Increasing RCA content significantly influenced their physicochemical properties, leading to higher thickness and transparency, alongside reduced density, hydrophobicity, and water vapor permeability. The FTIR spectra confirmed intermolecular interactions between RCA and the starch matrix through hydrogen bonding. RCA integration markedly enhanced antioxidant activity with a 14.1-fold increase in DPPH scavenging over the control, although no antimicrobial activity was observed against E. coli or S. aureus as all films produced inhibition zones of 0.0 mm. Principal component analysis identified S-RCA40 as the optimal formulation, balancing structural integrity and functional sensitivity. The S-RCA40 film exhibited distinct color responses over a pH range of 2–12 and high sensitivity to ammonia and dimethylamine vapors. When applied to chicken breast stored at 25 °C and 4 °C for 72 h, the indicator transitioned from violet–purple to dark blue, greenish, and brown/orange-red at room temperature, correlating with increases in pH and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) beyond spoilage thresholds, while remaining stable under refrigeration. The ANN model (6–6–4–2–2), trained on RGB and CIELab inputs, achieved excellent predictive performance (R = 0.99998) for simultaneous estimation of pH and TVBN. This integrated system demonstrates strong potential for non-destructive, real-time monitoring of poultry freshness.