Factors Influencing Release, Absorption, and Concentration of Natural Compounds in Antimicrobial Packaging.

This paper presents a review of the literature, published in the last 5 years, reporting antimicrobial compounds and factors affecting the release, absorption, and concentration in food packaging. This overview shows that concentration of natural antimicrobials plays an important role in bacterial inhibition to prolong food shelf life in antimicrobial packaging. The extension of bacterial inhibition depends on antimicrobial stability inside the packaging system, where the antimicrobial concentration should be maintained above the minimum inhibitory concentration. However, too high concentration of natural compounds affects food sensory and leads to undesired odour, consequently food consumers refuse to consume the packaged foods. Controlled release of the antimicrobials potentially maintains the concentration not going under and over the concentration limit in a longer period. This review gives an overview of the controlled-release mechanisms of various natural compounds in an antimicrobial food packaging. Factors influencing release, absorption and concentration of natural antimicrobial in microbial inhibition are defined in three categories: (1) physical characteristics of antimicrobial-releasing carrier, (2) food structure and properties, (3) external factors. Considering these factors in regulating antimicrobial packaging is discussed comprehensively, so the effectiveness of the packaging in prolonging the food shelf life can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]