Abstract
The aim of this paper was to characterize chitosan samples from the shrimp shells for the later development of antimicrobial active systems. These systems include 100 % chitosan-based films obtained by casting, polyamide films with 5 and 10 % of chitosan obtained by extrusion and polyethylene/polyethylene terephthalate films with a coating of 0.6 % of chitosan. For that purpose, several analytical techniques including IR, 1H NMR, GPC, and microscopic techniques (scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy) were used. Within the studied samples, C1 showed the lowest DA and MW and consequently presented the most suitable properties for the development of an active packaging. Additionally, mechanical properties were performed. The effectiveness of the developed systems was evaluated by means of microbiological assays. The tested films showed antimicrobial capacity against coliform enterobacteria, mesophilic aerobic microorganism, and yeast and moulds.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.







References
Abdou, E. S., Nagy, K. S. A., & Elsabee, M. Z. (2008). Extraction and characterization of chitin and chitosan from local sources. Bioresource Technology, 99, 1359–1367.
Aider, M. (2008). Chitosan applications for active bio-based films production and potential in the food industry: Review. LWT - Food Science and Technology, 43, 837–842.
Al Sagheer, F. A., Al-Sughayer, M. A., Muslim, S., & Elsabee, M. Z. (2009). Extraction and characterization of chitin and chitosan from marine sources in Arabian Gulf. Carbohydrate Polymers, 77, 410–419.
Aldemir, T., & Bostan, K. (2009). Effects of chitosan on the microbiological quality of ready to cook meatball. Journal of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 35(2), 13–21. Istanbul University.
Alisashi, A., & Aïder, M. (2012). Applications of chitosan in the seafood industry and aquaculture: a review. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 5(3), 817–830.
Brugnerotto, J., Lizardi, J., Goycoolea, F. M., Argüelles-Monal, W., Desbrières, J., & Rinaudo, M. (2001). An infrared investigation in relation with chitin and chitosan characterization. Polymer, 42, 3569–3580.
Cai, J., Yang, J., Du, Y., Fan, L., Qiu, Y., Li, J., et al. (2006). Enzymatic preparation of chitosan from the waste Aspergilus niger mycelium of citric acid production plant. Carbohydrate Polymers, 64, 151–157.
Cerqueira, M. A., Souza, B. W. S., Teixeira, J. A., & Vicente, A. A. (2012). Effects of interactions between the constituents of chitosan-edible films on their physical properties. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 5(8), 3181–3192.
Darmadji, P., & Izumimoto, M. (1994). Effect of chitosan in meat preservation. Meat Science, 38, 243–254.
Duarte, M. L., Ferreira, M. C., Marvão, M. R., & Rocha, J. (2002). An optimised method to determine the degree of acetylation of chitin and chitosan by FTIR spectroscopy. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 31, 1–8.
Dutta, P. K., Tripathi, S., Mehrotra, G. K., & Dutta, J. (2009). Perspectives for chitosan based antimicrobial films in food applications. Food Chemistry, 114, 1173–1182.
Fernández-Cervera, M., Heinämäki, J., Räsänen, M., Maunu, S. L., Karjalainen, M., Nieto Acosta, O. M., et al. (2004). Solid-state characterization of chitosans derived from lobster chitin. Carbohydrate Polymers, 58, 401–408.
Fernández-Megia, E., Novoa-Carballal, R., Quiñoá, E., & Riguera, R. (2005). Optimal route conditions for the determination of the degree of acetylation of chitosan by 1H NMR. Carbohydrate Polymers, 61, 155–161.
Fimbeau, S., Grelier, S., Copinet, A., & Coma, V. (2006). Novel biodegradable films made from chitosan and poly(lactic acid) with antifungal properties against mycotoxinogen strains. Carbohydrate Polymers, 65, 185–193.
Gartner, C., Peláez, C., & López, B. L. (2010). Characterization of chitin and chitosan extracted from shrimp shells by two methods. e-polymers, 69, 1–16.
Gómez-Estaca, J., López de Lacey, A., López-Caballero, M. E., Gómez-Guillén, M. C., & Montero, P. (2010). Biodegradable gelatine-chitosan films incorporated with essential oils as antimicrobial agents for fish preservation. Food Microbiology, 27, 889–896.
Helander, I. M., Nurmiaho-Lassila, E. L., Ahvenainen, R., Rhoades, J., & Roller, S. (2001). Chitosan disrupts the barrier properties of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 71(2–3), 235–244.
Hirai, A., Odani, H., & Nakajima, A. (1991). Determination of degree of deacetylation of chitosan samples by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Polymer Bulletin, 26, 87–94.
Hirano, S., Itakura, C., Seino, H., Akiyama, Y., Nonaka, I., Kanbara, N., et al. (1990). Chitosan as an ingredient for domestic animal feeds. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 38(5), 1214–1217.
ISO. (2003). ISO 4833:2003. Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms—colony-count technique at 30 °C. Switzerland: International Organisation for Standardisation.
ISO. (2006). ISO 4832:2006. Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -Horizontal method for the enumeration of coliforms—colony-count technique. Switzerland: International Organisation for Standardisation.
ISO. (2008). ISO 21527-1:2008. Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs—horizontal meth for the enumeration of yeasts and moulds—part 1: colony count technique in products with water activity greater than 0,95. Switzerland: International Organisation for Standardisation.
ISO. (2001). ISO 16649-2:2001. Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs—horizontal method for the enumeration of beta-glucuronidase-positive Escherichia coli—part 2: colony-count technique at 44 °C using 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl beta- d -glucuronide. Switzerland: International Organisation for Standardisation.
Jayakumar, R., Prabaharan, M., Nair, S. V., Tokura, S., Tamura, H., & Selvamurugan, N. (2010). Novel carboxymethyl derivatives of chitin and chitosan materials and their biomedical applications. Progress in Material Science, 55, 675–709.
Joerger, R. D. (2007). Antimicrobial films for food applications: a quantitative analysis of their effectiveness. Packaging Technology & Science, 20, 231–273.
Kasaai, M. R. (2008). A review of several reported procedures to determine the degree of N-acetylation for chitin and chitosan using infrared spectroscopy. Carbohydrate Polymers, 71, 497–508.
Ko, M. J., Jo, W. H., Kim, H. C., & Lee, S. C. (1997). Miscibility of chitosan/polyamide 6 blends. Polymer Journal, 28(12), 997–1001.
Kurek, M., Brachais, C. H., Nguimjeu, C. M., Bonnnotte, A., Voilley, A., Galic, K., et al. (2012). Structure and thermal properties of a chitosan coated polyethylene bilayer film. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 97, 1232–1240.
Kurita, K. (2006). Chitin and chitosan: functional biopolymers from marine crustaceans. Marine Biotechnology, 8, 203–226.
Lavertu, M., Xia, Z., Serreqi, A. N., Berrada, M., Rodrigues, A., Wang, D., et al. (2003). A validated 1H NMR method for the determination of the degree of deacetylation of chitosan. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 32, 1149–1158.
Leleu, S., Herman, L., Heyndrickx, M., De Reu, K., Michiels, C. W., De Baerdemaeker, J., et al. (2011). Effects of Salmonella shell contamination and trans-shell penetration of coating hens eggs with chitosan. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 145, 43–48.
López, F. A., Mercê, A. L. R., Alguacil, F. J., & López-Delgado, A. (2008). A kinetic study on the termal behavior of chitosan. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 91(2), 633–639.
Nguyen, S., Hisiger, S., Jolicoeur, M., Winnik, F. M., & Buschmann, M. D. (2009). Fractionation and characterization of chitosan by analytical SEC and 1H NMR after semi-preparative SEC. Carbohydrate Polymers, 75, 636–645.
No, H. K., Park, N. Y., Lee, S. H., & Meyers, S. P. (2002). Antibacterial activity of chitosans and chitosan oligomers with different molecular weights. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 74(1), 65–72.
No, H. K., Meyers, S. P., Prinyawiwatkul, W., & Xu, Z. (2007). Applications of chitosan for improvement of quality and shelf life of foods: a review. Journal of Food Science, 72(5), R87–R100.
Pockett, P. (2004) Crystallinity in linear polyamides: a study using melt blending with small-molecule diluents. PhD Thesis. Department of Applied Science, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
Rabea, E. I., Badawy, M. E. T., Stevens, C. V., Sagghe, G., & Steurbaut, W. (2003). Chitosan as antimicrobial agent: applications and mode of action. Biomacromolecules, 4(6), 1457–1461.
Ratto, J. A., Chen, C. C., & Blumstein, R. B. (1996). Phase behavior study of chitosan/polyamide blends. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 59, 1451–1461.
Rhoades, J., & Roller, S. (2000). Antimicrobial actions of degraded and native chitosan against spoilage organisms in laboratory media and foods. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 66(1), 80–86.
Rinaudo, M. (2006). Chitin and chitosan: properties and applications. Progress in Polymer Science, 31, 603–622.
Rinaudo, M. (2008). Main properties and current applications of some polysaccharides as biomaterials. Polymer International, 57, 397–430.
Roberts, M. F., & Jenekhe, S. A. (1991). Site-specific reversible scission of hydrogen bonds in polymers. An investigation of polyamides and their Lewis acid–base complexes by infrared spectroscopy. Macromolecules, 24, 3142–3146.
Sagoo, S., Board, R., & Roller, S. (2002). Chitosan inhibits growth of spoilage micro-organisms in chilled pork products. Food Microbiology, 19, 175–182.
Senguptaa, R., Tikku, V. K., Somani, A. K., Chaki, T. K., & Bhowmick, A. K. (2005). Electron beam irradiated polyamide-6,6 films—I: characterization by wide angle X-ray scattering and infrared spectroscopy. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 72(5), 625–633.
Shahidi, F., Arachchi, J. K. V., & Jeon, Y. J. (1999). Food applications of chitin and chitosans. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 10(2), 37–51.
Shigemasa, Y., Matsuura, H., Sashiwa, H., & Saimoto, H. (1996). Evaluation of different absorbance ratios from infrared spectroscopy for analyzing the degree of deacetylation in chitin. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 18, 237–242.
Skrovanek, D. J., Howe, S. E., Painter, P. C., & Coleman, M. M. (1985). Hydrogen bonding in polymers: infrared temperature studies of an amorphous polyamide. Macromolecules, 18, 1676–1683.
Soultos, N., Tzikas, Z., Abrahim, A., Georgantelis, D., & Ambrosiadis, I. (2008). Chitosan effects on quality properties of Greek style fresh pork sausages. Meat Science, 80, 1150–1156.
Vårum, K. M., Anthonsen, M. W., Grasdalen, H., & Smidsrød, O. (1991). Detemination of the degree of N-acetylation and the distribution of N-acetyl groups in partially N-deacetylated chitin (chitosans) by high-field NMR spectroscopy. Carbohydrate Research, 211, 17–23.
Wu, X., Qui, J., Liu, P., & Sakai, E. (2013). Preparation and characterization of polyamide composites with modified graphite powders. Journal of Polymer Research, 15, 284.
Xu, Y. X., Kim, K. M., Hanna, M. A., & Nag, D. (2005). Chitosan-starch composite film: preparation and characterization. Industrial Crops and Products, 21, 185–192.
Acknowledgments
This work was funded under Project no. 95935 from FONCICYT C002-2008-1/ALA 127 249. The authors are grateful to “Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” for the Predoctoral fellowship FPI (Ref. BES-2012-051993) awarded to Miguel Ángel Lago. Raquel Sendón is grateful to the “Parga Pondal” program financed by “Consellería de Innovación e Industria, Xunta de Galicia” for her postdoctoral contract. The authors are also grateful to Patricia Blanco, Cristina Casal, and Gonzalo Hermelo for their excellent technical assistance.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lago, M.A., Sendón, R., de Quirós, A.RB. et al. Preparation and Characterization of Antimicrobial Films Based on Chitosan for Active Food Packaging Applications. Food Bioprocess Technol 7, 2932–2941 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-014-1276-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-014-1276-z