Abstract/Summary

Polycaprolactone (PCL) was incorporated separately with cinnamaldehyde (CNMA), pomegranate methanolic extract (PME), freeze dried arils of pomegranate (FDAP), and seed flour of pomegranate (SF) to form antimicrobial films to be used for active food packaging. PCL–CNMA films completely inactivated growth of the artificially inoculated Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, whether at 5% or 10% concentrations (wt/wt of polymer), at all studied temperatures (4, 20, and 37 °C). PCL–PME films (10% wt/wt of polymer) delayed the growth of E. coli and S. aureus for up to 7 and 6 days, respectively, at 37 °C. Two-day delays in the growth of both bacteria were achieved with FDAP and SF films (10% wt/wt of polymer) at 20 °C. The release of CNMA was slower than the release of PME during film processing, as measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Thus, CNMA and pomegranate-based films perhaps should be planned further for use in controlled release food packaging.