Development and characterization of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) antimicrobial films with clove and cinnamon essential oils

Packaging is a physical barrier that separates the product from the outside. It is also possible to add active agents to the packaging so that it becomes active, extending the shelf life of products. Antimicrobial active packaging uses antimicrobial agents, such as essential oils, to inhibit or delay microbial growth in food. The objective of this work is to produce active packaging made of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate), a biodegradable polymer, that uses essential oil as an antimicrobial agent. To achieve this goal, active films were produced with concentrations of 2, 4, and 8% (w/w) of clove and cinnamon essential oils, by solution casting. In results that both oils have antimicrobial activity, The presence of the oils did not alter the degradation temperature of the studied films, and the tensile properties varied significantly. Practical applications Clove and cinnamon essential oils present proven antimicrobial activity. Thus, the use of those essential oils as PBAT additives makes it possible for the development of an active packaging that has antimicrobial properties. In turn, they can be used to package food products. Moreover, the confirmation on the ability of those oils to migrate from the packaging to the medium shows the potential to preserve fresh food, since those additives are safe for human consumption. Furthermore, the slow migration of those additives contributes to a longer food shelf life and to reduce the amount of synthetic food preservatives used in food processing, that is, reducing the amount of synthetic preservative intake by consumers.