Pickering lotion of tea tree oil loaded with pea protein isolate/tragacanth gum composite film: antioxidant and fresh-keeping performance improvement

Research overview

A study published in Packaging Technology and Science, which used pea protein isolate/tragacanth gum (PPI/TG) as the film forming substrate, prepared a functional packaging film loaded with tea tree oil Pickering lotion (TTO-PE), and systematically evaluated the effects of different concentrations of TTO-PE on the mechanical properties, microstructure, barrier performance, thermal stability, and antibacterial and antioxidant activities of the film. The study also conducted preservation application experiments on Agaricus bisporus.

Key Performance Data

The research results show that the composite film exhibits significant mechanical strength, with a maximum elongation at break of 108.40% ± 7.28%, and has effective UV blocking ability.

. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis showed good compatibility between TTO-PE and PPI/TG matrix, and the amorphous structure of the film did not show significant changes. Microscopic morphology observation confirmed that the lotion was evenly distributed in the matrix, which further supported the excellent interfacial compatibility between components. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that the introduction of TTO-PE enhances the thermal stability of the film. In terms of antioxidant performance, the addition of TTO-PE significantly enhanced the antioxidant activity of the composite membrane, and the DPPH radical scavenging rate increased from 6.74% ± 0.58% to 41.96% ± 1.23%.

Preservation Application Effect

In the preservation experiment of Agaricus bisporus, PPI/TG-PE 6% composite film effectively maintained the whiteness and appearance of the mushrooms, reduced weight loss and hardness decrease, and slowed down the increase in total soluble solids content and conductivity during storage, thereby maintaining mushroom quality and extending shelf life.

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Significance for the polymer additive industry

This study provides new ideas for the formulation design of food contact packaging materials.

. In the field of packaging materials, functional films based on biobased polymers are receiving increasing attention. In this study, the Pickering lotion of tea tree oil, as an active component, not only improves the antioxidant and fresh-keeping properties, but also does not damage the amorphous structure of the film, which puts forward higher requirements for processing stability – the introduction of active components needs to be matched with the film forming process to avoid thermal oxidative degradation during processing. From the perspective of additives, the role of antioxidants in such active packaging systems deserves further exploration: on the one hand, the antioxidant activity of the film itself comes from tea tree oil components; On the other hand, the antioxidant system required for stable processing needs to be coordinated with the active components to avoid mutual interference. In addition, as the application of recycled materials in food contact packaging expands, how to balance the performance fluctuations brought by recycled materials with the functional performance of active components is also a problem that needs to be considered in formula design. The compatibility data between PPI/TG matrix and TTO-PE used in this study provide reference for interface regulation and processing stabilization of biobased packaging materials.

Information source:Preparation and Characterization of Pea Protein Isolate/Tragacanth Gum Composite Films Incorporating Tea Tree Oil Pickering Emulsions， Organized by Herun Chemical.