Development and application of bioactive edible films with antioxidant and/or antimicrobial properties for food use

Abstract

Biodegradable polymers are particularly promising as food packaging materials. The incorporation of other natural agents, such as plasticizers and antimicrobial and/or antioxidant ingredients, into biopolymer matrices, will lead to develop a new class of biomaterials with enhanced properties and new functionalities for industrial applications including food packaging. The relevance of this project is well in line with practical applications of renewable resources, materials with high biodegradability or compostability and increased industrial competitiveness through innovative eco-efficient bio-based products. In this context, this project proposes the development of innovative packaging materials based on sustainable and biodegradable biopolymers, already proposed for industrial packaging, (pigskin gelatin, chitosan, cassava starch and sodium caseinate), optimizing their properties through the incorporation of specific ingredients from natural resources, such as plasticizer (glycerol) and antimicrobial and/or antioxidant agents (rosemary, cinnamon, guaraná and boldo extracts), in order to improve mechanical, barrier and other structural and functional properties, providing the food industry with customizable, eco-efficient, cost-effective and biodegradable packaging solutions with direct benefits for both the environment and consumers in terms of food quality and safety. Different areas will be approached: development, physico-chemical functionalization; the optimization of casting process, the application of composite films on food products and the evaluation of the environmentally-friendly behavior of the films. (AU)