Premium
Preparation, characterization, and oxygen scavenging capacity of biodegradable α‐tocopherol/PLA microparticles for active food packaging applications
Author(s) -
Scarfato Paola,
Avallone Elvira,
Galdi Maria Rosaria,
Maio Luciano,
Incarnato Loredana
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.23661
Subject(s) - materials science , extrusion , thermogravimetric analysis , oxygen permeability , active packaging , chemical engineering , emulsion , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , crystallinity , polymer , zeta potential , oxygen , composite material , food packaging , organic chemistry , nanotechnology , chemistry , food science , nanoparticle , engineering
In this work, a biodegradable oxygen scavenger system, which consists of α‐tocopherol‐loaded poly(lactic)acid microparticles containing 40 wt% of the natural antioxidant agent, was prepared by an oil in water (O/W) emulsion‐solvent evaporation method. The preparation procedure assured high encapsulation efficiency and production yield and gives no noticeable alteration of the molecular structure of the microencapsulated active α‐tocopherol, as demonstrated by Fourier‐transform infrared and thermogravimetric analyses measurements. The produced active microparticles are semicrystalline and are characterized by suitable morphology (size and shape) to have satisfactory flowability to be used as active powder additive in conventional polymer extrusion technologies. Both the scavenging capacity and rate are in line with the values required for an effective oxygen scavenger system. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:981–986, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers