Incorporation of organic acids turns classically brittle zein films into flexible antimicrobial packaging materials

Abstract This study aimed to turn classically brittle zein films into flexible antimicrobial ones by the use of lactic (LA), malic (MA) and tartaric acids (TA). The most effective plasticizer was LA (400% elongation at break [EB] at 4%), while MA (189% EB at 4.5%) and TA (68% EB at 5%) showed moderate and limited plasticizing effects, respectively. The LA‐ and MA‐loaded films maintained their flexibility during 30‐day storage at 4°C or 25°C. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis suggested that the plasticization of LA and MA could be related to secondary structural changes in zein such as increased α‐helix and random coils (mainly by MA) and spaced/modified intermolecular (only by LA) and intramolecular (mainly by MA) β‐sheets. Atomic force and scanning electron microscopy showed that LA and MA gave more homogenous and smoother films than TA. Films with LA showed the highest water vapour permeability followed by those of control, MA‐ and TA‐loaded films. Films with 3%–4% LA or MA formed clear zones on Listeria innocua and Klebsiella pneumonia , but only films with LA formed clear zones on Escherichia coli . All OA‐loaded films gave unclear zones on Staphylococcus aureus in disc‐diffusion tests, but this bacterium was inactivated rapidly in antimicrobial tests based on surface inoculation tests. LA is the best OA to develop flexible antimicrobial films from zein, an industrial by‐product that films could not have been utilized as a widespread packaging material due to their brittleness.