• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.675-681
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• 1998

Low density polyethlene(LDPE0 films of 50${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ thickness were fabricated with addition of antimicrobial agents of Rheum palmatum extract, Coptis chinensis extract, sorbic acid and Ag-substitude inorganic zirconium matrix in 1% concentration. The films were compared in physical properties, tested in antimicrobial activity against some selected microorganisms on the agar plate medium and then applied for packaging fresh curled lettuce and cucumber to preserve their qualities. The films with Rheum palmatum extract, Coptis chinensis extract, and Ag-substituted inorganic zirconium matrix did not show any antimicrobial activity on the disk test against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Penicilluium chrysogenum, while film with sorbic acid did against E. coli, S. aureus and L. mesenteroides. The added antimicrobial agents changed the color and light transmittance of the films, but did not affect their mechanical tensile strength, heat shrinkage and wettability. For the packaged curled lettuce and cucumber stored at 5$^{\circ}C$ and 1$0^{\circ}C$, all the LDPE films impregnated with antimicrobial agents showed the reduced growth of total aerobic bacteria in the vegetables compared with control film without any additive until it reached the level around 108/g. They did not give any negative effect on other quality attributes during storage.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.1140-1145
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• 1998

Low density polyethylene (LDPE) films incorporated with 1% antimicrobial agents of Rheum palmatum extract, Coptis chinensis extract, and Ag-substituted inorganic zirconium matrix, were applied to modified atmosphere packaging of 200 g fresh strawberries. Plain LDPE film package, PVC wrap and perforative pinhole package of the film impregnated with 1% Rheum palmatum extract were also constructed for comparative purpose. All the packages were stored for 13 days at $5^{\circ}C$ and measured in package atmosphere, microbial count and quality attributes of the strawberry fruits. The antimicrobial LDPE films retarded the growth in total aerobic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria and yeast on the fruits, and resulted in significantly lower decay. The degrees of reduced microbial growth and fruit decay in the antimicrobial film packages were more pronounced, when applied by hermetical sealing to produce the modified atmospheres of low $O_2$ (<4.0%) and $CO_2$ concentrations with $6.3{\sim}9.0%$. The hermetically sealed packages of antimicrobial LDPE films also showed better retention of fruit firmness and did not give any negative effect on the physical and chemical qualities of strawberries.