Polymer/clay nanocomposite films as active packaging material: Modeling of antimicrobial release

An integral combination of design of experiments (DoE), partial least squares regression (PLSR) and response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to model the release of carvacrol into a food simulant from an antimicrobial material based on low-density polye thylene/organically-modified montmorillonite (LDPE/OMM) nanocomposite films. Using a D-optimal design, one qualitative-multi-level x-variable and two quantitative x-variables of the nanocomposite formulation were studied: type of OMM, concentration of OMM and concentration of a compatibilizer agent. Eight y-responses were simultaneously modeled using PLSR, including four kinetic/diffusion properties of carvacrol release toward food simulant (initial rate of release, overall kinetic rate constant, diffusion coefficient and diffusion rate constant), and four packaging properties (Young's modulus, intercalation, decomposition and melting temperature). An ANOVA-validated (p < 0.05) PLS model was obtained with R-2 = 0.923 and Q(2) = 0.453, modeling the all x-variables with all y-responses simultaneously. A formulation that maximizes packaging properties and minimizes carvacrol release was calculated by using RSM. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.