Polypropylene/Montmorillonite Nanocomposites Containing Nisin as Antimicrobial Food Packaging

• Published in: Food and bioprocess technology Vol. 7; no. 11; pp. 3349 - 3357
• Main Authors: Meira, Stela Maris Meister, Zehetmeyer, Gislene, Jardim, Arthur Izé, Scheibel, Jóice Maria, de Oliveira, Ricardo Vinicius Bof, Brandelli, Adriano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer-Verlag 01-11-2014; Springer US; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acetic acid; agar; Agriculture; Antiinfectives and antibacterials; Antimicrobial activity; Antimicrobial agents; antimicrobial properties; Bacteria; Biotechnology; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Clostridium perfringens; Crystallization; deformation; Food; Food packaging; Food Science; Gram-positive bacteria; Homogeneity; Listeria; Listeria monocytogenes; Mechanical properties; Melt temperature; melting point; Milk; Modulus of elasticity; Montmorillonite; Nanocomposites; Nisin; Original Paper; oxygen; Packaging materials; Permeability; Polypropylene; polypropylenes; Scanning electron microscopy; skim milk; Staphylococcus aureus; temperature; Tensile strength; Water vapor; Antimicrobial; Nanocomposite; Montmorillonite; Polypropylene
• ISSN: 1935-5130; 1935-5149
• DOI: 10.1007/s11947-014-1335-5

Antimicrobial nanocomposites prepared with polypropylene, montmorillonite, and nisin were developed as food packaging material. Nisin was incorporated at 1, 2.5, and 5 % (w/w) and the characterization included antimicrobial, mechanical, thermal, barrier, and structural properties. Composite films inhibited the Gram-positive bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Clostridium perfringens when tested on skimmed milk agar plates. Antimicrobial activity was released in food simulants after contact with the nanocomposites, increasing until 48 h in solutions containing the surfactant Tween 20 or acetic acid. The addition of nisin caused no significant modification in deformation at break values as compared with control films. However, results of tensile strength and Young modulus differed significantly among samples. The higher value for Young modulus was observed for films with 5 % nisin. Water vapor barrier properties were not significantly different among control and antimicrobial films, whereas oxygen permeability was higher for nanocomposites containing nisin. The nanocomposites tested had no significant differences in the melting temperature (165 to 167 °C), and the crystallization temperature ranged from 121 to 129 °C, with lower values for films containing 5 % nisin. Scanning electron microscopy showed that nanocomposites containing 1 and 2.5 % nisin present similar homogeneity to that of control films. Some film properties were affected after nisin incorporation in polypropylene/montmorillonite matrix but active antimicrobial films were obtained, showing suitable behavior as a food packaging material.