Production of edible films based on Psyllium seed gum enriched with Oliveria decumbens essential oil

Edible films and coatings are thin layers of biopolymers that are used as food coatings. Due to the many disadvantages of synthetic packaging materials, such as the migration of packaging compounds into food, creating environmental pollution and the problem of waste recycling, the use of edible films for food packaging has recently increased significantly. Edible films based on Psyllium seed gum are a good source for preparing edible films due to their easy availability and affordable price. In this research, edible films based on Psyllium seed gum enriched with different proportions of Oliveria decumbens essential oil were made and the physicochemical characteristics of the films include thickness, moisture content, permeability to water vapor, tensile strength, elongation percentage, characteristics Morphology and thermal properties were investigated. The results of the analysis of Oliveria decumbens essential oil compounds by GC/MS showed that a total of 8 compounds were identified. The results showed that by increasing the amount of Oliveria decumbens essential oil, the thickness and percentage of length of the films increased significantly (p < 0.05), but the moisture content, permeability to water vapor, tensile strength, melting temperature (Tm) and temperature Glass transition (Tg) decreased significantly (p>0.05). Oliveria decumbens essential oil added to the films also showed the softening characteristic which was obtained from the results of strain to breaking point. The homogenous and uniform structure of the control film (without essential oil) was proven in the electron microscope images.