Controlled release of α-tocopherol, quercetin, and their cyclodextrin inclusion complexes from linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) films into a coconut oil model food system

• Published in: Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment Vol. 27; no. 11; pp. 1598 - 1607
• Main Authors: Koontz, J.L., Moffitt, R.D., Marcy, J.E., O'Keefe, S.F., Duncan, S.E., Long, T.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 01.11.2010; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: active; alpha-Tocopherol - analysis; alpha-Tocopherol - chemistry; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - analysis; Antioxidants - chemistry; beta-Cyclodextrins - chemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Coconut Oil; Controlled release; cyclodextrin; Diffusion; Diffusion coefficient; Ethanol - chemistry; Food additives; Food contamination; Food industries; Food Packaging - methods; Food Preservation - methods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Handling, storage, packaging, transport; high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); Kinetics; Migration; Models, Theoretical; Molecular weight; oils and fats; Organometallic Compounds - chemistry; packaging; Peroxides - analysis; Plant Oils - chemistry; Polyethylene; Polyethylene - chemistry; Quercetin; Quercetin - analysis; Quercetin - chemistry; Risk assessment; Shelf life; Solubility; Temperature effects; Viscosity; Vitamin E; Polyethylene; diffusion; Inclusion; Film; Controlled release form; antioxidants; Migration; Vitamin; HPLC chromatography; oils and fats; α-Tocopherol; active; packaging; Density; Flavonoid; high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); Polyphenol; Cyclodextrin; Coconut oil; Quercetin; Models; Conditioning; Food
• ISSN: 1944-0049; 1944-0057
• DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2010.495729

Polymer additive migration into a food product is dependent upon numerous factors including the original concentration of the additive in the polymer, its solubility in the food, its diffusion coefficient in the polymer, its partition coefficient between the polymer and food, temperature, and time. The limited solubility of quercetin in linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) did not allow release from the film due to phase segregation of the quercetin in the bulk polymer. Increasing the molecular weight of α-tocopherol by β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexation can greatly reduce its diffusion coefficient in LLDPE. Ziegler-Natta and metallocene LLDPE contain different crystalline structure morphologies and diffusion path networking arrangements that allow for differences in additive release rates. Effective controlled-release packaging should combine β-cyclodextrin complexation of additives and polymer morphology control to target delivery of an optimal antioxidant concentration to achieve prolonged activity, resulting in extended shelf life foods.