Controlled Release of Mangiferin Using Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Matrix for Antioxidant Packaging

Abstract

This study investigated the use of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) matrix in controlled release packaging. Mangiferin, having high antioxidant activity, was incorporated into the EVA matrix with different vinyl acetate (VA) contents. Mangiferin release rate increased with increasing VA content (or decreasing crystallinity). Linear relationship between mangiferin release rate and VA content was observed in the range of 18–40% VA. The diffusion coefficients of mangiferin released from the EVA matrices containing 12%, 18%, 25% and 40% VA were 0.482, 0.512, 2.81 and 2.88 (×10−14 m2/s), respectively. The enhancement factors of about 22-fold and sevenfold were observed in the 12% and 18% VA matrices, respectively, when using triethyl citrate as a plasticizer. EVA film containing 40% VA had the highest antioxidant activity (81.90% radical scavenging capacity, (RSC)) because the highest amount of mangiferin was released in the food simulant (84.66 µg/ml). Addition of mangiferin in the polymer matrices had no significant (p > 0.05) effect on thermal and barrier properties of the films but decreased tensile strength and Young's modulus. The results of this study demonstrated that EVA matrices with varying degree of VA could potentially be used to control mangiferin release rate for antioxidant packaging. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.