The use of edible films could be considered as a good alternative for application of antimicrobial and antioxidant agents in the food industry. In this study, the effect of Adiantum capillus-veneris extract, which has been incorporated into fresh-cut pear starch films, on the microbial growth and antioxidant status of fresh-cut pears was investigated. The films with various extract concentrations (0.0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 % v/v) were evaluated regarding their thickness, moisture content, transparency, antibacterial and antioxidant activity. Moisture content and transparency properties of films have been affected significantly (P < 0.05) by all of the examined concentrations of the extracts; in addition, the extracts increased the antioxidant capacity of films which was prepared from starch. No significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed for the thickness among the films with different extract concentrations. The films with various extract concentrations showed inhibition zones against Escherichia coli O157 : H7, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus. Fresh-cut pears were positively affected by the coating treatment, increasing their antioxidant status and decreasing bacterial and fungal contamination. These results demonstrated that the development of an edible film formulated with A. capillus-veneris extract can be applicable to preserve fresh-cut pear quality.
This study aimed to develop Tara gum (TG)-based films incorporated with Lavender essential oil (LEO) at different concentrations (5%-20% (w/w)) to enhance the properties of the films. GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of linalool and linalyl acetate as the major compounds in LEO. SEM micrographs showed the highest homogeneity in the film containing 5% (w/w) LEO, and CLSM images revealed the even distribution of LEO within the films. FTIR spectra demonstrated intermolecular interactions between TG and LEO, as evidenced by a new peak at 1458 cm− 1 in the LEO-loaded films. The addition of LEO resulted in a significant decrease in water content (WC) and water solubility (WS) of the films, while thickness, contact angle (CA), opacity, water vapor permeability (WVP), and oxygen permeability (OP) increased. The TG-LEO films exhibited higher elongation at break (EB) and lower Young’s modulus (YM). Additionally, LEO positively affected the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the films. Overall, the results authenticated the hypothesis of this study and indicated that TG-LEO films have great potential as biodegradable films with promising functionalities for food packaging applications.
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