Diffusion of linalool and methylchavicol from polyethylene-based antimicrobial packaging films

The diffusion of linalool and methylchavicol from thin (45-50 μm) antimicrobial low-density polyethylene-based films was evaluated after immersion in isooctane and the effect of temperature (4, 10, or 25 °C) on the diffusion rate was evaluated. The kinetics of linalool and methylchavicol release showed a non-Fickian behavior at the lowest temperature. An increase in temperature from 4 °C to 25 °C resulted in an increase in the diffusion coefficient from 4.2 × 10⁻¹³ m² s⁻¹ to 2.5 × 10⁻¹² m² s⁻¹ for linalool and from 3.5 × 10⁻¹³ m² s⁻¹ to 1.1 × 10⁻¹² m² s⁻¹ for methylchavicol. The effect of temperature on the diffusion coefficient followed an Arrhenius-type model (r² = 0.972) in relation to a time-response function with a Hill coefficient. Activation energies of 57.8 kJ mol⁻¹ (linalool) and 42.8 kJ mol⁻¹ (methylchavicol) were observed.     

Effectiveness of antimicrobial food packaging materials

Antimicrobial additives have been used successfully for many years as direct food additives. The literature provides evidence that some of these additives may be effective as indirect food additives incorporated into food packaging materials. Antimicrobial food packaging is directed toward the reduction of surface contamination of processed, prepared foods such as sliced meats and Frankfurter sausages (hot dogs). The use of such packaging materials is not meant to be a substitute for good sanitation practices, but it should enhance the safety of food as an additional hurdle for the growth of pathogenic and/or spoilage microorganisms. Studies have focused on establishing methods for coating low-density polyethylene film or barrier films with methyl cellulose as a carrier for nisin. These films have significantly reduced the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in solutions and in vacuum packaged hot dogs. Other research has focused on the use of chitosan to inhibit L. monocytogenes and chlorine dioxide sachets for the reduction of Salmonella on modified atmosphere-packaged fresh chicken breasts. Overall, antimicrobial packaging shows promise as an effective method for the inhibition of certain bacteria in foods, but barriers to their commercial implementation continue to exist.     

Biopolymer-based antimicrobial packaging: a review

The term antimicrobialpackaging encompasses any packaging technique(s) used to control microbial growth in a food product. These include packaging materials and edible films and coatings that contain antimicrobial agents and also techniques that modify the atmosphere within the package. In recent years, antimicrobial packaging has attracted much attention from the food industry because of the increase in consumer demand for minimally processed, preservative-free products. Reflecting this demand, the preservative agents must be applied to packaging in such away that only low levels of preservatives come into contact with the food. The film or coating technique is considered to be more effective, although more complicated to apply. New antimicrobial packaging materials are continually being developed. Many of them exploit natural agents to control common food-borne microorganisms. Current trends suggest that, in due course, packaging will generally incorporate antimicrobial agents, and the sealing systems will continue to improve. The focus of packaging in the past has been on the appearance, size, and integrity of the package. A greater emphasis on safety features associated with the addition of antimicrobial agents is perhaps the next area for development in packaging technology.     

Characterization of antimicrobial polylactic acid based films

Olive leaf extract (OLE) (Olea europaea L.), which has antimicrobial effect on many food pathogens, was incorporated as antimicrobial agent into polylactic acid (PLA) films. Antimicrobial activities of films were tested against Staphylococcus aureus. Increasing amount of the OLE in the film discs from 0.9 mg to 5.4 mg caused a significant increase in inhibitory zones from 9.10 mm to 16.20 mm, respectively. Moreover, incorporation of OLE and/or increasing the amount in the film formulation significantly enhanced the water vapor permeability (WVP). The water solubility and the degradation rates of films increased up to 19.3% and 22.4%, respectively. Thus, OLE incorporated PLA films have a prospectively potential in antimicrobial food packaging to reduce post-process growth of S. aureus with improved properties.     

Perspectives for chitosan based antimicrobial films in food applications

Recently, increasing attention has been paid to develop and test films with antimicrobial properties in order to improve food safety and shelf life. Active biomolecules such as chitosan and its derivatives have a significant role in food application area in view of recent outbreaks of contaminations associated with food products as well as growing concerns regarding the negative environmental impact of packaging materials currently in use. Chitosan has a great potential for a wide range of applications due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, antimicrobial activity, non-toxicity and versatile chemical and physical properties. Thus, chitosan based films have proven to be very effective in food preservation. The presence of amino group in C2 position of chitosan provides major functionality towards biotechnological needs, particularly, in food applications. Chitosan based polymeric materials can be formed into fibers, films, gels, sponges, beads or even nanoparticles. Chitosan films have shown potential to be used as a packaging material for the quality preservation of a variety of food. Besides, chitosan has widely been used in antimicrobial films to provide edible protective coating, in dipping and spraying for the food products due to its antimicrobial properties. Chitosan has exhibited high antimicrobial activity against a wide variety of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, including fungi, and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The present review aims to highlight various preparative methods and antimicrobial activity including the mechanism of the antimicrobial action of chitosan based films. The optimisation of the biocidic properties of these so called biocomposites films and role of biocatalysts in improvement of quality and shelf life of foods has been discussed.     

Characterization and antimicrobial activity studies of polypropylene films with carvacrol and thymol for active packaging

Antimicrobial active films based on polypropylene (PP) were prepared by incorporating thymol and carvacrol at three different concentrations: 4, 6 and 8 wt.% of both additives as well as an equimolar mixture of them. A complete thermal, structural, mechanical and functional characterization of all formulations was carried out. SEM micrographs showed certain porosity for films with high additives concentrations. A decrease in elastic modulus was obtained for the active formulations compared with neat PP. The presence of additives did not affect the thermal stability of PP samples, but decreased PP crystallinity and oxygen barrier properties. The presence of thymol and carvacrol also increased stabilization against thermo-oxidative degradation, with higher oxidation induction parameters. Finally, thymol showed higher inhibition against bacterial strain present in food compared with carvacrol, leading to higher antimicrobial activity. The obtained results proved the permanence of certain amounts of the studied additives in the polymer matrix after processing making them able to be used as active additives in PP formulations.     

Influence of factors on release of antimicrobials from antimicrobial packaging materials

Antimicrobial packaging materials (films or coatings) (APMs) have aroused great interest among the scientists or the experts specialized in material science, food science, packaging engineering, biology and chemistry. APMs have been used to package the food, such as dairy products, poultry, meat (e.g., beef), salmon muscle, pastry dough, fresh pasta, bakery products, fruits, vegetables and beverages. Some materials have been already commercialized. The ability of APMs to extend the shelf-life of the food depends on the release rate of the antimicrobials (AMs) from the materials to the food. The optimum rate is defined as target release rate (TRR). To achieve TRR, the influencing factors of the release rate should be considered. Herein we reviewed for the first time these factors and their influence on the release. These factors mainly include the AMs, food (or food simulant), packaging materials, the interactions among them, the temperature and environmental relative humidity (RH).     

Development of cellulose acetate based antimicrobial food packaging materials for controlled release of lysozyme

Antimicrobial packaging materials were obtained by incorporation of lysozyme into cellulose acetate (CA) films. In order to achieve controlled release of lysozyme, the structure of the films was changed from highly asymmetric and porous to dense by modulating the composition of the initial casting solution. The highest release rate, soluble lysozyme activity and antimicrobial activity were obtained with the film prepared from 5% CA solution including 1.5% lysozyme. Increasing CA content in the casting solution decreased the porosity of the films, hence, reduced the release rate, maximum released lysozyme activities and the antimicrobial activities of the films. In contrast, immobilized lysozyme activities and the tensile strength of the films increased. The incorporation of lysozyme did not cause significant reductions in tensile strength and elongation at break values except in films prepared with 15% CA. This study showed the good potential of asymmetric CA films to achieve controlled release in antimicrobial packaging.     

Development of mono and multilayer antimicrobial food packaging materials for controlled release of potassium sorbate

In this study, cellulose acetate (CA) based mono and multilayer films including potassium sorbate (Psb) as an antimicrobial agent were prepared using dry phase inversion technique. To achieve appropriate controlled release of Psb, the structure of the films was changed by manipulating the film preparation conditions. In particular, the initial casting composition, wet casting thickness and drying temperature were varied. Results indicate that Psb release rate decreased as the CA content in the casting solution, the wet casting thickness and the drying temperature for both mono and multilayer films were increased. Compared to the results for the monolayer films, a significant decrease of Psb release rate through the multilayer films was recorded. Drying-induced crystallization was observed in the monolayer films. As a consequence of this, a fast initial release of Psb, controlled by Fickian diffusion, was followed by a slower release controlled by dissolution of Psb crystals. In multilayer films, no crystals were detected in the structure and the release rate was regulated only by diffusion of Psb through the film. The results suggest that the films prepared in this study can be used as food packaging materials for achieving controlled and extended release of Psb.     

Benzoyl chloride modified ionomer films as antimicrobial food packaging materials

Modified ionomer films were prepared and their antimicrobial abilities were investigated. The anhydride linkage of the modified films was manufactured via the reaction of acid/base-treated films with benzoyl chloride as evidenced by the specific anhydride absorption (–CO–O–CO–, 1807 cm⁻¹ and 1741 cm⁻¹; –C–O–C–, 1009 cm⁻¹) in Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra. Release of benzoic acid from the modified ionomer films either immersed in buffer solutions or buried between two layers of potato dextrose agar (PDA) media was detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) that implied the feasibility of the modified ionomer films as an antimicrobial food packaging material. It showed that the base-treated modified films expressed better choice as an antimicrobial food packaging materials than the acid-treated ones because of the higher amount of benzoic acid released from the former than from the later. The antimicrobial ability of modified ionomer films was further demonstrated by its inhibition against the growth of Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus niger . The modified ionomer films successfully exhibited high efficiency in the inhibition of microbial growth.     

Use of encapsulated natural compounds as antimicrobial additives in food packaging: A brief review

BackgroundSynthetic chemical preservatives in food can be harmful to human health. These problems have increasingly attracted concern and interest from researchers, which has led to the study and application of non-toxic essential oils with preservative ability in food products and food packaging. A great challenge in this sense is their facile degradation during processing of the food and manufacturing processes during food packing.Scope and approachEncapsulation is an interesting technique to improve the physical-chemical and microbiological stability of these essential oils, as well as to achieve controlled release. This review provides a detailed overview of encapsulation in the food industry, focusing on the application of procedures to encapsulate antimicrobial essential oils.Key findings and conclusionsThis review focuses on recent studies related to nanotechnology and the nano and microencapsulation of essential oils. This study provides valuable insight that may be useful for identifying trends in the commercialization of nanotechnological products or for identifying new research areas. The results published to date confirm that the encapsulation promotes the protection of active compounds, enabling industrial applications of active packaging.     

食品包装用复合膜材质分析方法研究

目的 研究食品包装用复合膜材质的分析方法。方法 样品截面经包埋抛光后, 采用扫描电镜-能谱仪(scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectrometer, SEM-EDS)对样品层数及各层元素信息进行表征。样品经甲酸浸泡分层后, 采用傅里叶变换红外光谱仪(fourier transforminfrared spectroscopy, FT-IR)、差式扫描量热仪(differential scanning calorimetry, DSC)、SEM-EDS对分层后各层薄膜的红外特征吸收峰、熔点、元素信息进行表征。结果 确认该复合膜具有4层结构, 从外表面到内表面材质依次为PET层(厚度约13 μm)、PA层(厚度约16 μm)、铝层(厚度约10 μm)、PP/PE共混层(厚度约67 μm)。结论 通过溶剂剥离分层, SEM-EDS、FT-IR、DSC连用表征分析, 可以确认食品包装用复合膜的多层膜整体结构及每层薄膜材质。     

纳米二氧化钛抗菌食品包装复合膜的研究进展

纳米二氧化钛具有较好的抗菌作用,且在传统包装材料中有较好的分散性,添加了纳米二氧化钛的食品包装薄膜具有较好的抗菌效果,能在一定程度上延长食品的保质期。目前,有较多关于纳米二氧化钛食品包装复合膜的研究,主要是围绕抗菌性,机械性能和安全性等方面展开,研究表明：纳米二氧化钛复合膜的抗菌性受光照影响;复合膜的机械性能、热力学性能和阻隔性等随纳米二氧化钛的加入有所改变;复合膜中的纳米二氧化钛可能会迁移到包装的食品中,造成食品安全隐患;制备复合膜时需综合考虑以上因素。本文主要对纳米二氧化钛的抗菌机理、纳米二氧化钛抗菌食品包装薄膜的制备和应用、纳米二氧化钛的迁移研究进展进行概述,旨在扩展纳米二氧化钛复合膜更好更安全地应用于食品包装。     

食品包装塑料薄膜的机械性能及检测方法研究

柔软的塑料薄膜适用于各种各样的包装,食品包装材料的机械性能是产品在包装之后对产品进行保护的最基本性能,可以防止包装的破损与泄漏。本文阐述了食品包装塑料薄膜的主要机械性能,包括拉伸性能、剥离性能、热合性能、撕裂性能、冲击性能以及穿刺性能,并介绍了主要的食品包装塑料薄膜的机械性能检测方法,为食品包装技术的研究和新产品的开发提供参考。     

食品轻质包装材料的发展现状与前景

食品轻质包装材料由于具有运输成本低,便于携带等特性,越来越成为包装材料的研究重点。本文介绍了活性包装技术、纳米技术和降解技术等几种前沿的材料技术在传统轻质包装材料中的应有,概述了传统轻质包装材料的发展趋势和发展前景。      

Development of PLA films containing oregano essential oil (Origanum vulgare L. virens) intended for use in food packaging

Consumers’ concerns about the environment and health have led to the development of new food packaging materials avoiding petroleum-based matrices and synthetic additives. The present study has developed polylactic acid (PLA) films containing different concentrations of essential oil from Origanum vulgare L. virens (OEO). The effectiveness of this new active packaging was checked for use in ready-to-eat salads. A plasticising effect was observed when OEO was incorporated in PLA films. The rest of the mechanical and physical properties of developed films did not show much change when OEO was included in the film. An antioxidant effect was recorded only for films containing the highest percentages of the active agent (5% and 10%). In addition, films exhibited in vitro antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Yersinia enterocolitica, Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus carnosus. Moreover, in ready-to-eat salads, antimicrobial activity was only observed against yeast and moulds, where 5% and 10% of OEO was the most effective.     

纤维原料聚乳酸用于食品接触产品的安全现状及监管风险控制

纤维原料聚乳酸由于使用原料为自然可再生的材料,用聚乳酸生产的产品可在后期进行生物降解,从原料到成品,生产过程都是较为绿色环保的,用途越来越广,可作为纤维原料,也可用作制造食品包装、食品接触产品的原料。由于聚乳酸制成的食品接触产品有可降解方面的优势,在与食品接触方面的应用越来越多,聚乳酸制可降解的餐具等日益成为人们日常生活的组成部分。聚乳酸制产品的日益流行,要求此类产品的质量安全方面的管控更为精准有效。本文分析了聚乳酸产品的生产现状及成品销售过程中可能存在的产品质量安全风险问题,对聚乳酸制食品接触产品的质量安全风险出现的关键环节进行分析,对产品质量安全风险项目进行风险分析,并提出对风险问题进行控制的方案方法,对相关产品的生产企业的产品经营和质量安全的管控有较好的指导作用,为产品的质量再提升有更强的警示意义,为政府监管、企业生产以及市场和消费者了解相关产品的风险内容和控制提供可行性探讨,提升产品的质量安全,助力消费者进行市场监督,提升产品的竞争力。     

Physical performance of biodegradable films intended for antimicrobial food packaging

Antimicrobial films were prepared by including enterocins to alginate, polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), and zein films. The physical performance of the films was assessed by measuring color, microstructure (SEM), water vapor permeability (WVP), and tensile properties. All studied biopolymers showed poor WVP and limited tensile properties. PVOH showed the best performance exhibiting the lowest WVP values, higher tensile properties, and flexibility among studied biopolymers. SEM of antimicrobial films showed increased presence of voids and pores as a consequence of enterocin addition. However, changes in microstructure did not disturb WVP of films. Moreover, enterocin-containing films showed slight improvement compared to control films. Addition of enterocins to PVOH films had a plasticizing effect, by reducing its tensile strength and increasing the strain at break. The presence of enterocins had an important effect on tensile properties of zein films by significantly reducing its brittleness. Addition of enterocins, thus, proved not to disturb the physical performance of studied biopolymers. Development of new antimicrobial biodegradable packaging materials may contribute to improving food safety while reducing environmental impact derived from packaging waste. Practical Application: Development of new antimicrobial biodegradable packaging materials may contribute to improving food safety while reducing environmental impact derived from packaging waste.     

Electrohydrodynamic processing of natural polymers for active food packaging: A comprehensive review

The active packaging materials fabricated using natural polymers is increasing in recent years. Electrohydrodynamic processing has drawn attention in active food packaging due to its potential in fabricating materials with advanced structural and functional properties. These materials have the significant capability in enhancing food's quality, safety, and shelf-life. Through electrospinning and electrospray, fibers and particles are encapsulated with bioactive compounds for active packaging applications. Understanding the principle behind electrohydrodynamics provides fundamentals in modulating the material's physicochemical properties based on the operating parameters. This review provides a deep understanding of electrospray and electrospinning, along with their advantages and recent innovations, from food packaging perspectives. The natural polymers suitable for developing active packaging films and coatings through electrohydrodynamics are intensely focused. The critical properties of the packaging system are discussed with characterization techniques. Furthermore, the limitations and prospects for natural polymers and electrohydrodynamic processing in active packaging are summarized.     

我国食品包装卫生标准现状分析

论述了塑料制品、橡胶制品、纸制品、容器内壁涂料和无机包装材料等典型食品包装材料的卫生安全问题,重点阐述了我国现阶段已发布的各种食品包装材料卫生限量标准,分析指出了我国食品包装卫生标准体系与国外发达国家相比存在的某些差距,并提出了相关措施和建议。