Polylactic acid with oat oil: a biodegradable material intended for food packaging

Biodegradable food packaging comprises plastic materials that decompose in the appropriate environment (e.g., moisture and temperature). It could represent a solution for micro- and macroplastic generation. This paper is the first to evaluate the addition of oat oil (OO) to PLA for use as a food packaging material. Samples were evaluated by FTIR, SEM, XRD, Raman, texture and degradation tests. The PLA crystallites and the porosity of the samples increased with increasing oat oil content, while strength decreased (0.14MPa). Regarding degradation, oat oil in the samples facilitated it. Samples with the same composition degraded more in soil (15 weeks) than in seawater (25 weeks). After degradation, the PLA-OO samples were porous, facilitating the entry of fluids and the adhesion of microorganisms. PLA matrix degradation in soil begins with hydrolysis, followed by aerobic microorganisms’ degradation. The highest biodegradation occurred in the PLA-1500 sample in soil, suggesting the potential to achieve biodegradability/compostability.