title: New approach to study the mechanism of antimicrobial protection of an active packaging.
abstract: This article reports on the antimicrobial efficiency of a new active packaging concept based on the use of two essential oils (cinnamon and oregano) and their chemical descriptors (cinnamaldehyde, thymol, and carvacrol) against the Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, the Gram-negative bacterium Salmonella choleraesuis, the yeast Candida albicans, and the mold Aspergillus flavus. Complete inhibition of these microorganisms with either bactericidal or bacteriostatic effect has been demonstrated. It has been proven that the inhibition provided by these solutions is related not to the total amount of the active chemical released but to the amount of active compounds that reach the agar surface at a critical time. This critical time is notably related with the duration of the lag phase, as demonstrated for the bacteria, and shows that kinetic behavior has a critical role in the antimicrobial properties of the active packaging. Two different active films, polypropylene and the complex polyethylene-ethylenvynil alcohol, have been studied and a higher efficiency was found for polypropylene, mainly because of the mentioned kinetic reasons. These results can be used to understand the mechanism of action of the chemicals and provide valuable data for the development of the active packaging concept.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), CPS, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Batlle
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nerín
mesh_terms: D000171:Acrolein / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000187:drug effects; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D000081007:Cymenes; D005516:Food Microbiology; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000295:instrumentation; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D031341:Origanum / Q000737:chemistry; D011095:Polyethylenes; D011126:Polypropylenes; D012475:Salmonella / Q000187:drug effects; D013943:Thymol / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000081007:Cymenes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D011095:Polyethylenes; D011126:Polypropylenes; C510046:cinnamon oil, bark; D013943:Thymol; D000171:Acrolein; C073316:carvacrol; C012843:cinnamaldehyde