Elaboration of an Antimicrobial, Biodegradable and Aromatic Film Against the Natural Contamination of Sliced Mozzarella Cheese

The search for foods that do not use chemical preservatives in their composition has been growing over the years, and as a result, studies on active packaging have been intensified, which has as principle, in addition to protecting, transporting and containing the food, interact with it. In this context, the present study has developed an active antimicrobial, aromatic and biodegradable packaging in order to reduce the natural contamination of sliced Mozzarella cheese, which has shelf life of five days after manipulation. For this, a film was developed containing cassava starch, a plasticizing agent, gum arabic and oregano essential oil, as an antimicrobial agent. The research used the serial dilution methodology for counting and to aid in the isolation of the product natural contamination. The diffusion methodology in Agar in PDA medium with chloramphenicol was used to identify the antimicrobial power of the polymer matrix and the Casting method for film manufacture. With the results, it was possible to identify that only the film with the addition of oregano essential oil showed fungicidal action when compared to the same film without it, forming an inhibition halo of about 25 mm against Hyphopichia burtonii yeast isolated from the product itself, when stored under conditions stipulated by the supplier (Styrofoam trays stored in conventional refrigerator).