Bacterial Cellulose Films for Biodegradable Packaging with Essential Oils

Petrochemical polymers provide most packaging materials in the food industry and cause environmental problems due to their non-biodegradability. Developing biodegradable polymers with additives is a strategy, and bacterial cellulose (BC) presents favorable properties for this application. This work aims to evaluate the effect of essential oils (EOs) of clove, cinnamon, basil, and oregano as additives in BC matrix for application in food packaging. BC membranes are synthesized by the bacteria Komagataeibacter hansenii and incorporated into EOs using ethanol as a solvent. The membranes are characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), antibacterial activity, and soil biodegradation. Furthermore, the samples are also tested for their antifungal potential on the surface of bread slices. FTIR analyses confirm the incorporation of EOs into BC membranes. TGA analysis indicates a slight increase in thermal stability for the incorporated samples. All samples show antibacterial potential, except BC, incorporated with the essential basil oil. The fungal analysis is performed by visually evaluating the appearance of filamentous fungi on the surface of the bread pieces. Soil biodegradation tests demonstrate mass loss for all membranes.