The significant increase in the use of plastic packaging during the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly contributed to the generation of petroleum-derived plastic waste, which accumulates in land and marine environments and is responsible for serious environmental problems. Natural polymers incorporating active compounds represent the future of packaging systems. In this study, active and biodegradable films were produced using 6.5 and 7% (w/v) collagen, containing essential oils of cinnamon, litsea cubeba, and thyme at concentration of 0.25 and 0.5% (v/v). Active collagen films showed improved mechanical and barrier properties, with reduced water vapor permeability and solubility, compared to the standard film. FC7L50 (film with 7% collagen and 0.5% litsea cubeba essential oil) showed greater antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. FC65T25 (film with 6.5% collagen and 0.25% thyme essential oil) showed 79.12% ABTS·+ radical inhibition. The maximum total biodegradation time in the soil and beach sand was 20 d for all films produced. The films that showed the greatest potential for active and biodegradable packaging were FC65T25 for antioxidant packaging and FC7L50 for antibacterial packaging. These results suggest that the elaborated films are promising candidates for active food-packaging applications.
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