Desenvolvimento de filmes biodegradáveis de amido incorporados com extrato de própolis

Abstract

The development of biodegradable polymers aims the reduction of environmental impact. Among them, the starch has emerged to be the most abundant, with low cost, and presents possibilities for chemical, physical or genetic modification, originating resistant and biodegradable films. Due to the constant concern with preventing chemical and mainly microbiological spoilage of food, the interest in active packaging has increased, and the incorporation of antimicrobial compounds into biodegradable films promote a new way to improve the safety and shelf life of processed foods. Propolis is a natural substance widely found with high potential to act as additive properties for polymeric materials. Thus, the present study aimed to develop biodegradable cassava starch films incorporated with etanolic propolis extract (EEP) and evaluate their mechanical, barrier, microstructural and antimicrobial activity. The thickness, density and tensile strength of the films added of EEP showed no significant difference in relation to control. For elongation at break, only the film with 0.75% of EEP showed a significant increase. The values of water vapor permeability (PVA) of the formulations EP 0.5 %, EP 0.75% and control showed the highest values when compared with EP 1 %. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM ) images of the surface and the fracture of the films reveled that the addition of EEP did not interfere in the internal structure of the polymer matrix. The films produced in this work containing EEP did not show antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and Escherichia coli.