Biodegradable PBAT/PLA blend films incorporated with turmeric and cinnamomum powder: A potential alternative for active food packaging

Active packaging made from biodegradable polymers and natural additives appears as an ecological alternative. In addition to having antioxidant activity and enhancing food preservation, it allows mitigating the negative impacts caused by improper disposal. This study pursued to produce biodegradable films based on a polymer blend PBAT/PLA (Ecovio (R)) using the flat extrusion method. The films were prepared with the incorporation of 5 wt% of powdered turmeric or cinnamon as natural additives. The films obtained, and those reprocessed twice, were characterized in terms of colorimetric, UV light transmittance, water contact angle, water vapor permeability, morphology, mechanical properties, and antioxidant activity. Cinnamon reduced the UV light transmittance and made a surface more hydrophobic. Reprocessing led to greater elongation and maximum load, associated with increased dispersion and distribution, as evidenced in the morphological analysis. The films developed have significant potential for applications in active food packaging, with emphasis on cinnamon-additivated films.