This study focuses on developing and characterizing active and sustainable packaging films made from chitosan (CS), enriched with a novel bioactive extract sourced from water caltrop (Trapa bispinosa Roxb.) pericarp (WCPE). In this study, chitosan (1 % w/v) based biocomposite films were produced using varying concentrations of bioactive extracts (0,5,10,15 and 20 % w/w of CS) from water caltrop pericarp, obtained through ultrasound-assisted extraction. WCPE extract possess excellent antioxidant (89 ± 1.41 %), higher phenolics (120.48 ± 4.67 mg GAE g