Dados do Trabalho

Título

ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY OF CELLULOSE ACETATE ACTIVE FILM WITH GARLIC ESSENTIAL OIL

Introdução

Incorporating natural bioactive compounds into bio-based polymeric matrices has been investigated to develop degradable active packaging with potential for food preservation. In this sense, garlic essential oil (GEO) was successfully incorporated into a cellulose acetate (CA) matrix producing films with antimicrobial properties. However, the antioxidant capacity of these active packages was not studied. Therefore, the present study aimed to overview the antioxidant effects of these active packaging systems previously developed.

Material e Métodos

CA-based films were produced incorporating 0% (CA-film), 1.5% (CA-film GEO1.5) and 3% w/w (CA-film GEO3) of GEO and characterized by their in vitro antioxidant capacity. The antioxidant activity of GEO, CA-based films and the standard antioxidant ascorbic acid were determined through DPPH and ABTS+ assays.

Resultados e Discussão

The higher radical inhibition (DPPH and ABTS) was evidenced by ascorbic acid, followed by GEO. Concerning the films, the in vitro antioxidant activity increased proportionally to the amount of GEO incorporated into the CA matrix, for both assays. More precisely, the relative antioxidant capacity values for the ABTS and DPPH methods were, respectively: 100.0% and 93.1% (ascorbic acid), 51.5% and 41.6% (GEO), 29.1% and 30.0% (CA-film GEO 3), 27.0% and 19.9% (CA-film GEO 1.5), 18.0% and 5.4% (CA-film).The concentration of pure GEO evaluated in the antioxidant assays was estimated to be equivalent to the GEO content in the CA GEO 3 film for comparison. Despite this, the results showed a greater antioxidant capacity of GEO in its pure form, when compared to the film with the same GEO content.

Conclusão

These findings reinforced previous discussions concerning the interaction between the polymeric matrix and GEO. Being entrapped into the polymeric matrix can restrict the GEO release into the extraction solution and, therefore, reduce the availability of its antioxidant compounds to react with the radicals. In general, the results obtained for CA-film GEO 1.5 and CA-film GEO 3 confirmed the in vitro antioxidant capacity and demonstrated a promising potential for application as active antioxidant packaging.