A　series　of　active　gelatin　films　containing　natural　antioxidants　(NAs)　were　used　as　food　packaging　in　this　paper.　Five　kinds　of　NAs　[green　tea　extract　(GTE),　grape　seed　extract　(proanthocyanidins,　OPC),　grape　seed　extract　(grape　seed　polyphenols,　GSP),　ginger　extract　(GE),　gingko　leaf　extract　(GBE)]　were　added　into　gelatin-based　films　as　antioxidant　additive.　The　effects　of　these　extracts　on　the　antioxidant,　physical　and　mechanical　properties　of　the　films　were　studied.　The　results　suggested　that　addition　of　GBE　made　the　gelatin-based　film　possess　the　highest　DPPH　radical　scavenging　activity　at　1.0　mg/ml.　The　UV　light　barrier　was　also　greatly　improved　when　the　film　mixed　with　GBE　and　the　value　of　light　transmission　was　23.242%　at　400　nm.　In　addition,　it　was　observed　that　the　gelatin-based　film　blending　of　GTE　resulted　in　significantly　increased　protection　against　moisture.　As　to　the　mechanical　properties,　the　lowest　tensile　strength　(14.64　+/-　2.51　MPa)　and　percentage　of　elongation　at　break　(30.86　+/-　6.86%)　were　found　in　the　gelatin-based　film　mixing　of　GSP.　The　moisture　content　and　water　solubility　of　films　were　not　altered　with　addition　of　NA.　Furthermore,　the　active　gelatin　films　showed　the　heterogeneous　surface　and　porous　formation　by　scanning　electron　microscopy　after　blending　of　NA.　At　the　same　time,　the　FTIR-ATR　spectra　was　used　to　investigate　the　interactions　between　gelatin　and　extracts.　These　results　reveal　that　addition　of　GTE,　OPC,　GBE　into　gelatin　film　is　an　ideal　choice　to　be　developed　into　active　food　packaging　for　food　preservation.　(C)　2013　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.