DEVELOPMENT OF ACTIVE FILMS BASED ON ARROWROOT STARCH, ADDITIVATED WITH GREEN PROPOLIS EXTRACT

Starch films may contain bioactive compounds, usually phenolic from natural extracts, which are responsible for conferring on those active properties such as antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity. The objective of this research was to obtain films with active properties based on arrowroot starch (FA) added with green propolis extract (EP). The films prepared by the technique: Solution Casting were evaluated as a function of extract concentration (3%, 10% and 20%, m / m of arrowroot) and encoded, respectively, FA3% EP, FA10% EP and FA20% EP. The film containing no extract, FA, was used as a reference. The characterization of the films was carried out by Fourier transform IR (FTIR) spectra, thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis, UV-Vis transparency and color analysis using a manual colorimeter, water solubility analysis, permeability analysis water vapor (PVA) and determination of the total flavonoid, phenolic and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. FTIR spectra were treated by principal component analysis (PCA). According to the spectral results of the films: FA3%EP, FA10%EP e FA20%EP, the incorporation of the aromatic compounds of the extract into the polymer matrix was verified by PCA. It was observed that the presence of these compounds contributed to the thermal stability and reduced the water solubility of the films added. These films were considered transparent, clear and yellowish in color, so they can be applied as edible cover in yellow cheeses. The FA10% EP and FA20% EP films presented flavonoid and phenolic content, which gave the films antioxidant activity corresponding to 39.61% and 74.4%, respectively. In addition, the films FA10% EP and FA20% EP reduced the initial count of Staphylococcus aureus in 99.9%, and thus were considered as antimicrobial films. In this sense, the addition of arrowroot films with propolis extract improved the thermal stability, reduced the hydrophilicity and also made the films with active function.