Production of a bacterial cellulose/poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) blend activated with clove essential oil for food packaging

The aim of the present study was to produce a blend of bacterial cellulose (BC) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) from the combination of pure BC membranes and 30% PHB in acetic acid. Clove essential oil (CLO) was then added as an antimicrobial agent. BC membranes were produced from Gluconacetobacter hansenii in a modified Hestrin–Schramm medium containing corn steep liquor. The scanning electron microscopic analyses revealed a visible white lining on the BC surface due to the deposition of PHB. Other analyses such as oil permeability, flexibility, and water solubility, which showed no trace of oil permeation through the films, resistance to folding (more than 100 times), and hydrophobicity, respectively, demonstrated the improvement of the material due to the blend of the polymers. When compared with the pure PHB polymer membrane, the addition of the essential oil led to a substantial reduction of 65% in microbial growth and better mechanical and thermal properties, since the traction resistance value increased by 3.9 times while the maximum degradation rate was 10°C higher. The new material, composed of BC/PHB with the addition of CLO, has attractive properties for use as a biocompatible, biodegradable, active food packaging wrap.