Abstract
The aim of the study was to establish the influence of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) on the properties of potential biodegradable packaging materials with antibacterial properties, based on polylactide (PLA) and tea tree essential oil (TTO). The obtained polymeric films consisted of PLA, a natural biocide, and tea tree essential oil (5–20 wt. %) was prepared with or without an addition of 5 wt. % PEG. The PLA-based materials have been tested, taking into account their morphology, and their thermal, mechanical and antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. It was established that the introduction of a plasticizer into the PLA–TTO systems leads to an increase in tensile strength, resistance to deformation, as well an increased thermal stability, in comparison to films modified using only TTO. The incorporation of 5 wt. % PEG in the PLA solution containing 5 wt. % TTO allowed us to obtain a material exhibiting a satisfactory antibacterial effect on both groups of representative bacteria. The presented results indicated a beneficial effect of PEG on the antibacterial and functional properties of materials with the addition of TTO.
Highlights
The proliferation of bacteria contributes to the spread of diseases, as well as food spoilage [1,2].This group of microorganisms includes mainly strains such as Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus [3,4]
This can be attributed to the difference between the content and the extent of volatility displayed by tree essential oil (TTO) and the essential oil used in the mentioned work [24]
PLA-based materials modified with tea tree essential oil had significantly fewer pores in their surface compared to the films based on gelatin with an addition of clove essential oil, as characterized by Ejaz [13]
Summary
The proliferation of bacteria contributes to the spread of diseases, as well as food spoilage [1,2] This group of microorganisms includes mainly strains such as Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus [3,4]. Due to the possibility of the undesirable contact of microorganisms with food, effective and safe methods of combating pathogenic bacteria are being sought [5]. For this reason, the food industry is still looking for new, innovative solutions to combat microorganisms’ proliferation in packaged products, and to extend their shelf-life [6]. Due to the acceptance of PLA and EO by the American Food and Drug Administration as “Generally Recognized As Safe GRAS”, a significant
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