Abstract: To prepare pomelo peel based antimicrobial films by the tape casting method, carvacrol was added as an antimicrobial agent to the film-forming solution. The effects of carvacrol addition on the color, light transmittance, microstructure, water vapor permeability, mechanical and antimicrobial properties of the films were investigated. The results indicated that the films gradually turned yellow, and the light transmittance, water vapor permeability and tensile strength were decreased with the addition of carvacrol, whereas the thickness, elongation at break, and antibacterial efficiency were increased. Based on the measurement results, pomelo peel based antimicrobial films with 1.0% of carvacrol had good overall performance, whose thickness, tensile strength, elongation at break water vapor permeability, light transmittance, and inhibition zone areas for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were (0.125 ± 0.021) mm, (12.53 ± 0.72) MPa, (16.29 ± 0.60)%, (4.06 ± 0.25) × 10?12 g·cm/(cm2·s·Pa), (49.97 ± 0.38)%, (377.62 ± 19.63) mm2 and (506.82 ± 11.28) mm2, respectively. The results of this study can provide a theoretical basis for the application of pomelo peel based antimicrobial films added with carvacrol.

Key words: pomelo peel, carvacrol, antibacterial activity, structure characterization