article · Measurement Food
Cellulose acetate is a synthetic compound derived from cellulose that is widely used in food packaging, but its inherent rigidity requires plasticisers to provide necessary flexibility. Traditional plasticisers can leach into packaged goods, posing potential health concerns. This research evaluated the performance of cellulose acetate films plasticised with glycerol, tris (2-ethylhexyl) phosphate, and rosemary essential oil. The films were fabricated via solvent casting and analysed using infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffraction, alongside migration tests into food simulants. Rosemary essential oil demonstrated the lowest migration rate among the evaluated plasticisers. In addition to improving mechanical flexibility, rosemary essential oil served as a multifunctional active agent, offering antioxidant, antimicrobial, and ultraviolet protection, whilst also promoting the biodegradability of the film.
Conventional plastic packaging often relies on plasticisers that can migrate into food and present health risks. Using a natural additive like rosemary essential oil enables the development of flexible, biodegradable cellulose-based films that reduce chemical leaching while simultaneously offering built-in antioxidant, antimicrobial, and light-protective qualities to enhance food safety.
This research provides applied, laboratory-tested evidence for sustainable packaging manufacturers seeking green plasticisers and active packaging solutions. The findings could interest food packaging converters looking to replace synthetic additives with natural bio-compounds. Because the research is at the laboratory stage using solvent casting and food simulants, further development is required to validate processability at pilot scale and test real food shelf-life performance.
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Cellulose acetate (CA) is a synthetic compound obtained by acetylation of cellulose. It is widely used for various applications, including food packaging films. However, CA is very rigid due to the β-d-glycose ring in its main chain, and the presence of many hydrogen bonds between the hydroxyl groups, which limits the extent of its application. Therefore, plasticizers are generally used to provide flexibility particularly when used for packaging. The migration of plasticizers from packaging materials to packaged food can pose a risk to human health, particularly when the plasticizers present some levels of toxicity. The objective of this research is to compare the effect of widely used plasticizers glycerol, tris (2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP) and rosemary essential oil on the properties of cellulose acetate films for food packaging. Cellulose acetate films were prepared via solvent casting method followed by plasticizing. The films prepared were characterized using infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and others analysis. The results show that rosemary essential oil has the lowest migration rate to food simulants. Rosemary can play dual roles, a plasticizer by improving mechanical properties and an active agent (antioxidant, antimicrobial, and UV protector, and promotor of biodegradability). The results show the potential of rosemary essential oil as an additive for application in food packaging.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.meafoo.2024.100180
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