Brazilian researcher creates biodegradable film with oregano and cassava that fights Salmonella in meats and decomposes in 20 days

Written by Andriely Medeiros de Araújo

Published on 08/05/2026 at 12:25

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Developed at UFRGS, the biodegradable film based on cassava starch and oregano oil inhibits Salmonella and Listeria in fresh meats. The material has 85% biodegradability and decomposes in just 20 days.

Food safety has gained a technological ally developed in Rio Grande do Sul: a biodegradable film capable of inhibiting the growth of dangerous bacteria in meats. The innovation, presented by researcher Aline Kümmel Pizzini Goulart in her master’s dissertation at UFRGS in 2025, uses an active barrier against microorganisms such as Salmonella and Listeria.

Unlike common plastic packaging, the new material uses oregano and cassava compounds to extend the shelf life of fresh proteins, directly combating foodborne outbreaks and food waste in retail.

Sanitary efficacy against foodborne pathogens

The highlight of the biodegradable film developed in the Microbiology Laboratory of the university in Rio Grande do Sul is its ability to act as a biological shield. In laboratory tests, the film demonstrated exceptional performance against Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes, agents that frequently cause serious public health problems.

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The engineering behind the biodegradable film

The science that makes this biodegradable film efficient involves the strategic use of carvacrol, a substance extracted from oregano essential oil.

To enhance its effects, researcher Aline Goulart used nanoencapsulation in chia mucilage.

Biodegradable film made by Aline Krummel Pazzini Goulart

This technique creates a kind of microscopic reservoir that allows for the controlled and continuous release of the active ingredient onto the food.

Furthermore, the structural base of the material is composed of cassava starch. After successive tests at UFRGS, the team arrived at a formulation that balances resistance and elasticity.

This combination of natural inputs resulted in a product with 85% biodegradability, completing its decomposition cycle in just 20 days after disposal.

National inputs and economic viability

The choice of ingredients for the biodegradable film took into account Brazil’s economic reality.

Cassava starch was selected for being an abundant, renewable, and low-cost raw material, which facilitates the future adoption of the technology by slaughterhouses and supermarket chains.

The implementation of this technology could drastically change the plastic waste scenario in the country. While traditional PVC packaging is discarded daily by the thousands, the new biodegradable film offers an ecological and rapid destination.

In addition to the direct benefit to the soil, the technology acts in the preservation of the food itself. By extending the shelf life of ground meat, the system helps reduce the volume of proteins that end up in the trash due to rapid degradation.

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With information from the website Último Segundo

Brazilian researcher creates biodegradable film with oregano and cassava that fights Salmonella in meats and decomposes in 20 days

Developed at UFRGS, the biodegradable film based on cassava starch and oregano oil inhibits Salmonella and Listeria in fresh meats. The material has 85% biodegradability and decomposes in just 20 days.

Sanitary efficacy against foodborne pathogens

The engineering behind the biodegradable film

National inputs and economic viability

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Brazilian researcher creates biodegradable film with oregano and cassava that fights Salmonella in meats and decomposes in 20 days

Developed at UFRGS, the biodegradable film based on cassava starch and oregano oil inhibits Salmonella and Listeria in fresh meats. The material has 85% biodegradability and decomposes in just 20 days.

Sanitary efficacy against foodborne pathogens

The engineering behind the biodegradable film

National inputs and economic viability

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