Properties and application of whey protein isolatebased edible films containing clove and apricot essential oils

The targets of the study were to examine the effect of clove and apricot essential oils on the mechanical, antimicrobial and barrier properties of whey protein (WPI) based edible films and to investigate the applicability of the films to a food system. Clove and apricot essential oils were added to WPI solutions were coded as C-WPI and A-WPI, respectively. Kaşar cheese were selected as the food system. Cheese sample were sliced and dipped into WPI, C-WPI, A-WPI solutions and uncoated samples were prepared as control, then they were stored at 4° C for 28 day. Texture profile and microbiological analysis of the samples were evaluated to determine changes in structural properties of the cheese and antimicrobial properties of the films during storage.As it was aimed, both essential oils were bring in films antimicrobial property, further clove has more pronounced effect than apricot. It was determined that addition of essential oils to edible films decreased tensile strength and elastic modulus but increase percent elongation at break. But more pronounced effect of addition of the oils was observed for elastic modulus values than tensile strength. The elastic modulus value of C-WPI decreased to one-fifth of the WPI value. According to the results of texture profile analysis and rheological analysis essential oils incorporated edible films did not show a distinct differences with respect to WPI based film coated and uncoated cheese samples.