CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

The continue demand of semi-prepared natural and fresh food products with high nutritional value have promoted the development of new food packaging systems that improve the shelf-life of packaged foods. The most important processes of food deterioration are the oxidative ones, which are liable for the modification of flavor, the degradation of vitamins, and the deterioration of foodstuffs. In this scenario, antioxidant active polymeric based packages are an interesting strategy to improve the quality and the safety of packaged foods. Their manufacture is centered on the incorporation of antioxidant compounds into the packages and their further migration to the food. Moreover, bio-based and biodegradable polymeric systems are the main preferred materials for this application in order to reduce the amount of wastes in landfills. In this context, the development of bilayer films represents a valid strategy to modulate the moderate characteristics of biodegradable polymers. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a thermoplastic polyester, obtained from renewable resources, compostable and biodegradable. Then it is appropriate to be used as short shelf-life packaging. Lignin nanoparticles (LNP) provide specific food antioxidant properties and UV stabilization effect. Moreover, active ingredients such as umbelliferone (UMB), a natural phenolic extract extensively spread in plants of the coumarin family with antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, could improve the antioxidant response of polymeric films even in a multilayer approach. The aim of this work is therefore the design and characterization of PLA based bilayer films containing LNP in combination with UMB as active ingredient (AI) for food packaging applications. The effect of the nanoparticles and the AI on the properties of the bilayer systems was studied, emphasizing the determination of antioxidant and light transmission results according to the proposed use of the materials as packaging.

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