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Molecular characterisation of a bio‐based active packaging containing Origanum vulgare L. essential oil using pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
Author(s) -
LlanaRuízCabello María,
Pichardo Silvia,
JiménezMorillo Nicasio T,
Bermúdez José M,
Aucejo Susana,
GonzálezVila Francisco J,
Cameán Ana M,
GonzálezPérez José A
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.7502
Subject(s) - pyrolysis , food packaging , polylactic acid , carvacrol , origanum , chemistry , gas chromatography , thymol , essential oil , chromatography , food spoilage , gas chromatography–mass spectrometry , mass spectrometry , fraction (chemistry) , organic chemistry , polymer , food science , biology , bacteria , genetics
BACKGROUND Environmental, economic and safety challenges motivate shift towards safer materials for food packaging. New bioactive packaging techniques, i.e. addition of essential plant oils ( EOs ), are gaining attention by creating barriers to protect products from spoilage. Analytical pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py‐ GC‐MS ) was used to fingerprint a bioactive polylactic acid ( PLA ) with polybutylene succinate ( PBS ) (950 g kg −1 :50 g kg −1 ) film extruded with variable quantities (0, 20, 50 and 100 g kg −1 ) of Origanum vulgare EO . RESULTS Main PLA : PBS pyrolysis products were lactide enantiomers and monomer units from the major PLA fraction and succinic acid anhydride from the PBS fraction. Oregano EO pyrolysis released cymene, terpinene and thymol/carvacrol peaks as diagnostic peaks for EO . In fact, linear correlation coefficients better than 0.950 R 2 value ( P < 0.001) were found between the chromatographic area of the diagnostic peaks and the amount of oregano EO in the bioplastic. CONCLUSION The pyrolytic behaviour of a bio‐based active package polymer including EO is studied in detail. Identified diagnostic compounds provide a tool to monitor the quantity of EO incorporated into the PLA:PBS polymeric matrix. Analytical pyrolysis is proposed as a rapid technique for the identification and quantification of additives within bio‐based plastic matrices. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry