FILME COM POTENCIAL ATIVO ELABORADO COM MESOCARPO DE PEQUI E INCORPORADO COM EXTRATO DE PRÓPOLIS

Abstract

This study came from the need to find alternative solutions to reduce the impact of the high amount of plastic waste discarded in the environment. The pequi peel, which is a disposal product, can be used as the main raw material for packaging, which, besides to being a material easily degradable in the environment, is a packaging developed with the future of the nation in mind, which generates a large amount of waste. Pequi is abundant in the Cerrado (Brazilian Savannah), so, it is possible to highlight the richness of this biome in its many applications. In addition to the pequi mesocarp, the film produced is incorporated with ethanolic extract of propolis, which strengthens the material produced. The film is suitable to packaging food, guaranteeing protection against microorganisms, maintaining its original sensory characteristics for a longer time. Therefore, the production and characterization of bioactive packaging aim to serve as parameters for new ways to produce plastics, determining the qualitative characteristics by analysis of physicalchemical, mechanical, thermal, barrier, and biodegradability properties. In all results obtained, qualitative comparisons carried out about film 1 (1.9% pectin, 0.57% glycerol, and 0.3% propolis) and film 2 (1.6% pectin, 0, 7% glycerol, and 0.6% propolis) showed similar characteristics in all aspects, since they have the same raw materials in their composition, modifying only the applied amount of each formulation component. In general, biofilms 1 and 2 produced with the pequi mesocarp and propolis showed good characteristics related to handling, uniformity, and absence of bubbles, but with high hygroscopicity and water vapor permeability, limiting their use in products with low humidity. The coloring of the pectin films of the pequi mesocarp showed dark, which may favor packaging food sensitive to light and thus being able to retain its characteristics for a longer time. As for biodegradability, the film applied to the soil disappeared in less than 48 h, a positive factor in terms of reducing the impact of waste disposal.