Active Biodegradable Starch/PBAT-poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) Film with Eucalyptus citriodora Essential Oil Incorporation

• Published in: Foods Vol. 13; no. 13; p. 2104
• Main Authors: Zanela, Juliano, Shirai, Marianne Ayumi, Olivato, Juliana Bonametti, Casagrande, Maira, Canonico, Cristian Medrado, Wagner Júnior, Américo, Yamashita, Fabio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 02.07.2024
• Subjects: Antioxidants; antioxidants release; Biodegradability; Biodegradation; Bioplastics; Essential oils; Eucalyptus; Eucalyptus citriodora; extrusion; Food; Food additives; Food processing; food simulants; Glycerol; Mechanical properties; Microencapsulation; Natural products; Oils & fats; Oxidation; packaging; Plastic pollution; Polymers; Spray drying; Starch; Synthetic food; Temperature; Tensile strength; Volatile compounds; Brazil; Germany; food simulants; packaging; antioxidants release; extrusion
• ISSN: 2304-8158; 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods13132104

Plastic pollution and the reduction in synthetic food additives are demands that emerge from consumers, leading to the development of biodegradable plastic materials. The use of essential oils-EOs-has been researched because it is a natural product with antioxidant properties. Due to its nature, EO is composed of volatile compounds that can be lost during extrusion. The aim of this work was to produce active biodegradable starch/PBAT films with the incorporation of neat Eucalyptus citriodora EO (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5%) or EO microencapsulated by spray drying (2.5, 5.0, and 7.5%), aiming at the protection of the EO. The produced films showed adequate mechanical properties (tensile strength ranged from 5.72 to 7.54 MPa and the elongation at break ranged from 319 to 563%). Testing in food simulants showed that the films retained antioxidant activity, being more suitable for use in fatty or non-acid foods, with the microencapsulation process offering protection to the EO during the process.