Carvacrol-loaded liposome suspension: optimization, characterization and incorporation into poly(vinyl alcohol) films.

The purpose of this study was to encapsulate carvacrol into liposomes in order to promote its application in active food packaging. Response surface methodology was used to evaluate the effect of the concentration of the liposomal components on its characteristics. The optimum formulation for the preparation of liposomes with the highest encapsulation efficiency (59.0 ± 1.99%) was found to be 3000 µg mL-1 of cholesterol and 4000 µg mL-1 of carvacrol. Carvacrol reduced the polydispersity index and increased the zeta potential and the thermal stability of liposomes. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that the interaction of carvacrol with liposomes occurred probably through hydrogen-bonding. The incorporation into liposomes maintained the antibacterial effect of carvacrol, but when in the film, carvacrol liposomes were not effective against the microorganisms tested. Liposomes may offer a viable option for stabilizing carvacrol, however, more studies are necessary to enable its application in food packaging.

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure processing on structure and functional properties of biodegradable film.

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing (200-400 MPa/5 or 10 min) on functional properties of cellulose acetate (CA) films were investigated. As for mechanical properties, HHP caused a reduction in tensile strength (TS), Young's modulus (YM) and an increase in elongation at break (EB). The pressurized films were more luminous, yellowish, reddish and opaque. Less affinity for water was detected for pressurized films through analyses of contact angle and moisture absorption, in addition to reducing the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the occurrence of delamination for most films, except those treated with 200 MPa/10 min and 300 MPa/10 min. All films showed a predominance of amorphous structure in X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). That is alignment with the results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which presented values for glass transition temperature (Tg), water adsorption and melting temperature characteristic of materials with low crystallinity. Films treated with HHP had better mechanical resistance during the sealing at 250 °C. In overall the results confirmed the minimal influence of HHP on the functional properties of the CA film and contributed to the scientific and technological knowledge for its potential application in foods processed by HHP.

Structure and functional properties of cellulose acetate films incorporated with glycerol.

Tests were performed with cellulose acetate films (CA) incorporating 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50% (w/v) of glycerol with the purpose of evaluating the possible changes caused by the plasticizer on the functional properties of the packaging. The glass transition temperature (Tg) and relative crystallinity (RC) were are obtained by DSC and XRD, respectively. The results showed that, the presence of glycerol in the films caused increased thickness, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), and optical properties for most treatments. Moreover, morphological changes were evidenced in scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A reduction of tensile strength (TS) and Young's modulus (YM) was observed only in the concentration of 50% of glycerol. Therefore, the results suggest that there was an interaction between glycerol and cellulose acetate, demonstrating that the film has potential for use as food packaging.

Desenvolvimento e avaliação de filme antimicrobiano aromatizado para aplicação em massa de pastel / Development and evaluation of antimicrobial and flavored film for using on pastry dough

A indústria de alimentos, buscando atender à crescente demanda dos consumidores, vem desenvolvendo embalagens ativas para proporcionar qualidade e segurança aos produtos acondicionados. Este trabalho objetivou desenvolver e avaliar a aplicação de filmes ativos aromatizados em contato com a massa de pastel. Os filmes foram preparados pelo método casting, adicionados de ácido sórbico e aroma de pizza e avaliados in vitro frente ao microrganismo Penicillium sp. Também foram estudadas suas propriedades mecânicas, migração de ácido sórbico, avaliação sensorial do produto e análise microbiológica in vivo. Os filmes ativos apresentaram atividade antimicrobiana tanto in vitro como no alimento. A caracterização mecânica mostrou que os filmes ativos aromatizados apresentaram valores de carga máxima na ruptura, inferiores ao filme controle e, durante a migração, a adição de aroma contribuiu para uma maior liberação do ácido sórbico. Além disso, as massas de pastel em contato com os filmes ativos aromatizados apresentaram melhores resultados sensoriais.

The food industry, trying to meet growing consumer demand, is developing active packaging to provide quality and safety for packed food. This research aimed to develop and evaluate the implementation of active flavored films in contact with pastry dough. The active films were evaluated for in vitro antimicrobial activity against Penicillium sp. The mechanical properties of the films, the sorbic acid migration, sensory and in vivo microbiological analyses were also tested. The active films showed better results for in vitro and in vivo microbiological analyses when compared with the film with the sorbic acid incorporated directly on the pastry dough. The incorporation of sorbic acid and flavor affected the mechanical properties of the active films compared to the control film. The flavor addition provided a larger migration of sorbic acid from the film to the pastry dough. Besides the pastry dough packed in the active films showed better sensory results.