Improving the antibacterial properties of polyethylene food packaging films with Ajwain essential oil adsorbed on chitosan particles.

Publisher: Nature Publishing Group Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101563288 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2045-2322 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 20452322 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Sci Rep Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: London : Nature Publishing Group, copyright 2011-

Chitosan*/chemistry ; Chitosan*/pharmacology ; Food Packaging*/methods ; Oils, Volatile*/chemistry ; Oils, Volatile*/pharmacology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents*/pharmacology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents*/chemistry ; Polyethylene*/chemistry; Adsorption ; Tensile Strength ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Escherichia coli/drug effects ; X-Ray Diffraction ; Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects

The aim of this research is to develop a composite antibacterial film for food packaging using low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA), and incorporating chitosan (CS) particles onto which ajwan essential oil (AEO) is adsorbed. The films were characterized using various techniques, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), tensile testing, oxygen transmission rate (OTR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and antibacterial assays. FTIR results confirmed the presence of CS and/or AEO in the films. Mechanical testing indicated a decrease in tensile strength and an increase in elongation at break with the addition of AEO, while CS reduced elongation. In the sample containing only 7.5% chitosan (PE-7.5-0), the oxygen permeability was reduced to 910 cm ² /m ² ·day·bar due to the presence of CS. However, the inclusion of AEO in the sample (PE-0-10) increased the oxygen permeability to 2200 cm ² /m ² ·day·bar, which is higher than that of the control sample (PE-0-0) with an oxygen permeability of 1680 cm ² /m ² ·day·bar. The antibacterial activity results demonstrated a synergistic inhibitory effect of CS and AEO. Data from GC-MS and inhibition zone (IZ) tests indicated that while chitosan alone does not exhibit significant antibacterial activity due to its incorporation in the bulk of the film, its combination with AEO enhances antibacterial efficacy. This enhancement occurs as the oil is adsorbed and protected from evaporation during the film formation process. Overall, the findings from this research suggest that the composite film PE-7.5-10, which possesses suitable mechanical properties and significant antibacterial activity, could be an effective candidate for food packaging applications.
Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)

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23794109 Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute; 23794109 Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute; 23794109 Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute; 23794109 Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute; 23794109 Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute

Keywords: Adsorption of essential oil; Ajwain essential oil; Antibacterial composite; Antibacterial packaging; Chitosan; Low-density polyethylene

9012-76-4 (Chitosan)
0 (Oils, Volatile)
0 (Anti-Bacterial Agents)
9002-88-4 (Polyethylene)

Date Created: 20241120 Date Completed: 20241121 Latest Revision: 20241125

20241126

PMC11579371

10.1038/s41598-024-80349-7

39567677