Antibacterial LDPE films for food packaging application filled with metal-fumed silica dual-side fillers Articles uri icon

authors

publication date

  • March 2022

start page

  • 1

end page

  • 8

issue

  • 100772

volume

  • 31

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 2214-2894

abstract

  • There is a paramount demand on the enhancement of plastic package properties to reduce food loss and waste. With this awareness, ternary composite films based on low density polyethylene (LDPE) reinforced with silver- (Ag/FS), copper- (Cu/FS) and copper hydroxynitrate-fumed silica (CuHS/FS) micron-sized dual-side fillers, were produced via melt-blending and compression molding techniques. The ternary films exhibited antibacterial activity against the foodborne pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enterica, showing a stronger effect in the LDPE-Cu/FS with a 0.3% and 30.9% survival ratio, followed by LDPE-CuHS/FS films with a 0.4% and 50.7%, respectively. The specific Cu migration presented a maximum value of 1.29 mg/ kg of food simulant, that is within the threshold limit established by current legislation for food contact materials, thus permitting their use as packaging films for acidic, alcoholic, and aqueous foodstuffs. This work presents the relevance of alternative fillers to produce active packaging products.

subjects

  • Biology and Biomedicine
  • Chemistry
  • Materials science and engineering

keywords

  • active packaging; antibacterial fillers; copper hydroxynitrate; fumed silica; antibacterial films