Fabrication of carvacrol loaded cellulose acetate phthalate/shellac composite film and its application to mackerel fillets preservation

In this research, the carvacrol (CAR) loaded cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP) /shellac (SH) films were prepared via electrostatic repulsion strategy and casting method. The CAP/SH-CAR films demonstrated excellent tensile strength, while also exhibiting good UV light barrier and thermal stability. The results showed that the addition of CAR significantly improved the barrier of the CAP film to water vapor and oxygen permeability. When the addition amount of CAR was 0.9 % (w/w) with respect to CAP content, the CAP/SH-CAR films exhibited good antibacterial activity and effectively reduced the growth of S. aureus and E. coli by approximately 47.9 % and 50.9 %, respectively. The presence of SH improved the retention rate of CAR in CAP/SH-CAR films, with the retention rate ranging from 45.2 to 56.8 %. Finally, the CAP/SH-CAR films were applied to preserve the mackerel fillets, indicating that the rate of freshness deterioration had been delayed and showing a good freshness preservation effect. Therefore, the CAP/SH-CAR films have the potential to be used as food packaging materials.