Poly (lactic acid)-based functional films incorporated with curcumin have been prepared using a solution casting method. The PLA/curcumin composite film was flexible and highly transparent with bright yellow color. Curcumin was uniformly dispersed in the PLA matrix and showed excellent compatibility with PLA, as evidenced by the FE-SEM, DSC and FTIR test results. The addition of curcumin increased the mechanical properties slightly without changing the thermal stability of the PLA film. The composite film also exhibits excellent UV-barrier properties without much-sacrificing transparency of the PLA film. The water vapor permeability (WVP) and water contact angle (WCA) of the PLA film were slightly increased by the addition of curcumin but were not statistically significant (p > .05). The PLA/curcumin composite film also showed excellent antioxidant and some antibacterial activity. The functional PLA/curcumin composite films with improved physical and functional properties can be used in active food packaging applications.
Keywords: Antioxidant activity; Composite film; Curcumin; PLA; Packaging; Transparency.
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