Extended Food Shelf-Life via Gamma Irradiation Modified Kraft Paper

Abstract

Cellulose, the main constituent of paper-based food packages, is a favorable substrate for fungal growth. Gamma irradiation is a well-established low-cost treatment used for decontamination of paper objects. The dose rate plays an important role in the efficacy of the radiation treatment, but further chemical treatment is also important for imparting specific properties for food packaging applications. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of γradiation dose and bioactive compounds grafting on appearance, structure and properties of two cellulosic substrates: unbleached and bleached Kraft cellulose paper. In this sense, Kraft paper has been activated using gamma irradiation treatment and grafted with two bioactive compounds, namely clove oil and rosehip seed oil. The experimental results showed that: (a) no significant changes of the irradiated samples took place, which prove a good durability; (b) the morphological and structural changes took place after modification with bioactive compounds, imprinting antimicrobial and antioxidant properties to modified substrates; (c) the modified materials extended the shelf-life of tested aliments, indicating that the new obtained materials are suitable for food packaging applications.