Antimicrobial and physical properties of sweet potato starch films incorporated with potassium sorbate or chitosan

Antimicrobial biodegradable films have been prepared with sweet potato starch by incorporating potassium sorbate or chitosan. Films incorporated with potassium sorbate ≥ 15% or chitosan ≥ 5% were found to have an anti-Escherichia coli effect. Staphylococcus aureus could be effectively suppressed by incorporation of chitosan at ≥10%. Whereas potassium sorbate lowers the tensile strength and elongation at break, and raises the oxygen permeability, water vapor permeability and water solubility, chitosan has the opposite effect. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectra analysis revealed that starch crystallinity was retarded by potassium sorbate incorporation and that hydrogen bonds were formed between chitosan and starch. This explained the modification of the mechanical and physical properties of the films by the incorporation of these two antimicrobial agents.