Abstract
Active packaging incorporating antioxidants and antimicrobials is creating a niche in the market and becoming increasingly important. The main goal of this work was the design of bioactive bilayer films (zein/pullulan) incorporating licorice essential oil. The bilayer films were fully characterized in terms of their chemical, physical, barrier, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Furthermore, the release kinetics of isopropyl palmitate, the major compound of the licorice essential oil, was evaluated by HPLC-DAD (high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode-array detector). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs of cross-sections of the bilayer films clearly show the two layers of the films. Besides presenting the capacity to scavenge free radicals and to inhibit the lipid peroxidation, the developed bilayer films were also able to inhibit the growth of known foodborne pathogens (Enterococcus faecalis and Listeria monocytogenes). The release kinetics profile of isopropyl palmitate from bilayer films incorporating licorice essential oil demonstrated that in 50% ethanol at room temperature, the release was more effective, suggesting that the bilayer films will be more efficient if applied to package semi-fatty food.
Highlights
In response to changes in market trends and increasing consumers demand for high quality, safe and extended shelf-life of food products, active packaging is creating a niche in the market and becoming increasingly important
The incorporation of licorice essential oil as active agent in bilayer films was analyzed by FTIR
Isopropyl palmitate, is an hexadecenoic acid isopropyl ester, possessing an aliphatic chain with several methyl groups (CH2 ), and it is an ester, presenting a carbonyl group (C=O)
Summary
In response to changes in market trends and increasing consumers demand for high quality, safe and extended shelf-life of food products, active packaging is creating a niche in the market and becoming increasingly important. Active packaging is defined as a type of packaging in which the package, the product, and the environment interact to extend the shelf-life or improve safety and convenience, or sensory properties, while maintaining the quality and freshness of the packaged food [1]. Several packaging materials are used, with plastics being the most employed. After the service-life, the solid waste of synthetic polymer materials creates a considerable problem for the environment. In most parts of the world, there are special rules and regulations to dispose plastic wastes and to recycle synthetic polymers. To preserve the Antibiotics 2020, 9, 443; doi:10.3390/antibiotics9080443 www.mdpi.com/journal/antibiotics
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