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. 2020 Oct 7;9(10):1414.
doi: 10.3390/foods9101414.

Formulation of a Bio-Packaging Based on Pure Cellulose Coupled with Cellulose Acetate Treated with Active Coating: Evaluation of Shelf Life of Pasta Ready to Eat

Valeria Bugatti  1   2 , Gianluca Viscusi  1 , Giuliana Gorrasi  1
Affiliations

Formulation of a Bio-Packaging Based on Pure Cellulose Coupled with Cellulose Acetate Treated with Active Coating: Evaluation of Shelf Life of Pasta Ready to Eat

Valeria Bugatti et al. Foods. .

Abstract

An active packaging based on pure cellulose coupled with cellulose acetate coated with layered double hydroxide (LDH), hosting 4-hydroxybenzoate (listed in EC-Directive 10/2011) as an antimicrobial agent, was formulated and realized. The release of 4-hydroxybenzoate ionically bonded to the LDH layers was much slower than the molecule freely dispersed into the coating. The capability of the active packaging to inhibit Pseudomonas, Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Lactic Bacteria was evaluated, as well as the global migration with three different food simulant (i.e., acetic acid at 3% (v/v), ethanol at 50% (v/v) and vegetable oil) that demonstrated, in compliance with the migration limits of the EU regulation, the suitability of the prepared packaging to be employed as food contact material. Ready to east cooked tomato pasta was packaged into the active trays and in uncoated, as control, up to 30 days at 4 °C. Organoleptic characteristics, mold evolution, total mesophilic aerobic counts (TBC), Enterobacteriaceae, Lactic Bacteria and Pseudomonas, and in colony forming unit per gram (CFU/g), showed a significant activity of 4-hydroxybenzoate in increasing the shelf life of the pasta ready to eat.

Keywords: active coating; bio-packaging; layered double hydroxide; pasta.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
XRD of pristine LDH in nitrate form (a) and LDH hosting 4-hydroxybenzoate (b).
Figure 2
Figure 2
TGA analysis of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (a), LDH-NO3 (b), and LDH-(4-hydroxybenzoate) (c).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Release of 4-hydroxybenzoate (wt%) from: (a) cellulose acetate coated with 3.6 wt% of 4-hydroxybenzoate simply dispersed into the food-grade resin, and (b) cellulose acetate coated with active molecule anchored to LDH.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Mold evolution, Log (CFU/g) on packaged pasta @4 °C as a function of time.
Figure 5
Figure 5
TBC evolution, Log (CFU/g) on packaged pasta @4 °C as a function of time.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Evolution of molds on packaged pasta during storage time (scatters) and fitting curves (solid lines) obtained from Equation (1).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Pictures taken on cooked pasta with tomato sauce stored for two months at 4 °C in: (a) an uncoated tray; (b) and active tray.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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