Development of a novel controlled-release nanocomposite based on poly(lactic acid) to increase the oxidative stability of soybean oil

A poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-based nanocomposite active packaging was developed for the controlled release of tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) antioxidant. The PLA-based active films were loaded with only TBHQ (3% wt) or a mixture of modified cellulose nanofibre (MCNF) (8% wt) and TBHQ (3% wt) to obtain active and nanocomposite active films, respectively. Release studies indicated that the release rate of TBHQ in 95% ethanol simulant was significantly decreased by the addition of MCNF. Moreover, the presence of MCNF diminished the increasing effect of temperature on the release rate as when storage temperature increased from 4°C to 40°C. The diffusion coefficient (D) for PLA-TBHQ and PLA-MCNF-TBHQ films increased from 6.75 and 4.34 × 10−8 cm2 s−1 to 19.85 and 8.49 × 10−8 cm2 s−1, respectively. Diffusion of TBHQ to soybean oil was enough to delay the induction of the oxidation of soybean oil stored for 6 months in contact with PLA-based films. Antioxidative activity of PLA-based active films considerably increas...