Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity Studies of Agave Sheets with Thymol and Clove Oil for Active Packaging

Abstract

Antimicrobial active sheets based on agave ultimate fibers were prepared by incorporating essential oils (thymol and clove oil) at different concentrations. A complete structural, mechanical, and antimicrobial characterization of treated samples was carried out. SEM proved the presence and the deposit of additives on the surface of the sheet. FTIR spectra confirm the incorporation of essential oils into treated papers. Mechanical properties reveal a decrease in elastic modulus from 31.1 kN/m for raw sheet to 17.8 kN/m for thymol and to 26.7 kN/m for clove oil for treated sheets, and tensile strength from 28.2 N to 24.1 N for thymol and to 14.1 N for clove oil was obtained for the active sheets compared with raw sheets. While the presence of additives increased slightly the elongation at yield of treated samples from 2.3% to 2.6% for thymol and to 2.8% for clove oil. Regarding antibacterial activity, thymol and clove oil showed inhibition against strain present in food. Thymol had the higher inhibition against S. aureus (4.08 cm), and clove oil had the best inhibition against E. coli. (4.13 cm). The obtained results proved that active agave sheets are able to be used as antimicrobial packaging.

Keywords

• agave
• antimicrobial packaging
• clove oil
• thymol
• characterization