Active Biodegradable Starch/PBAT-poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) Film with <i>Eucalyptus citriodora</i> Essential Oil Incorporation
Juliano Zanela,
Marianne Ayumi Shirai,
Juliana Bonametti Olivato,
Maira Casagrande,
Cristian Medrado Canonico,
Américo Wagner Júnior,
Fabio Yamashita
Affiliations
Juliano Zanela
Department of Food Science and Technology, State University of Londrina, Rod. Celso Garcia Cid (PR 445), Km 380, P.O. Box 6001, Londrina 86051-990, PR, Brazil
Marianne Ayumi Shirai
Department of Food Technology, Federal University of Technology—Paraná, Londrina 86036-370, PR, Brazil
Juliana Bonametti Olivato
Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, State University of Ponta Grossa, Av. General Carlos Cavalcante, 4748, Ponta Grossa 84030-900, PR, Brazil
Maira Casagrande
Agronomy School, Federal University of Technology—Paraná, Estrada para Boa Esperança, Km 04, Dois Vizinhos 85660-000, PR, Brazil
Cristian Medrado Canonico
Agronomy School, Federal University of Technology—Paraná, Estrada para Boa Esperança, Km 04, Dois Vizinhos 85660-000, PR, Brazil
Américo Wagner Júnior
Agronomy School, Federal University of Technology—Paraná, Estrada para Boa Esperança, Km 04, Dois Vizinhos 85660-000, PR, Brazil
Fabio Yamashita
Department of Food Science and Technology, State University of Londrina, Rod. Celso Garcia Cid (PR 445), Km 380, P.O. Box 6001, Londrina 86051-990, PR, Brazil
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.
