Desenvolvimento de filme antimicrobiano contendo ora-pro-nobis (Pereskia aculeata Miller)

Abstract

The use of biodegradable films has been a highly targeted sustainable option to reduce the use of synthetic materials from non-renewable sources, which pollute the soil and seas daily. Starch is a renewable, easily accessible and low-cost source. It is possible to increase the usefulness of these products, aiming at food processing and safety, combining natural antimicrobial substances, derived from plants. The objective of this project was to develop a biodegradable cassava starch film added with ora-pro-nobis (Pereskia aculeata Miller) in order to verify the antimicrobial activity. The casting technique was used for the elaboration of the films, being the control film made with cassava starch (1.5 g of starch/50 mL of water) and glycerol (0.4 mL/50 mL of water) and the film containing 5 % ora-pro-nobis flour. For the antagonism test against the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, with naked eye it was possible to observe the antimicrobial activity with the formation of a halo, which corresponds to the inhibition of the microorganism, but with photograph it was not possible to clearly see it. Film solubility tests were 33.8% and 64.77% for film without and with ora-pro-nobis, respectively. The observation of biodegradability showed slow degradation over 2 weeks. With these results, it is concluded that it is possible to make a film containing ora-pro-nobis and cassava starch, however, tests with other concentrations of reagents are necessary in addition to testing the antagonistic activity against other bacterial isolates.