Development and Use of Antimicrobial Durian Starch-Carrageenan/Carvacrol Films

Durian starch (DS) was isolated from durian seeds by aqueous extraction with 0.5% NaHSO3. The percent yield and purity of the starch were 11.42 and 42%, respectively. The DS-carrageenan (CG) films containing different concentrations (0, 4, 6, 8, and 10%) of carvacrol were prepared. The antimicrobial activity of the DS-CG/carvacrol films was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus BIOTECH 1582 using disk diffusion assay. Results revealed that the zone of inhibition increased with carvacrol concentration and application of prediffusion treatment. Films containing 8% carvacrol had a zone of inhibition of 15.89 mm. The DS-CG/carvacrol films were found effective in controlling the growth of S. aureus in commercial durian candy. After 24 h of storage at 4 °C, the microbial count was reduced by 0.79 log cycle (83.6% reduction). The findings of this research suggest the potential of the DS-CG/carvacrol films as an active biodegradable packaging system to prevent the growth of S. aureus.