Development of insect-repellent polypropylene packaging fabrics with natural phenolic compounds for enhanced food protection

The current article aims to showcase the development of insecticidal and repellent materials for bean packaging and their testing. For that purpose, natural and non-toxic bioactive compounds thymol (T), eugenol (E), and their mixture (T/E) were loaded into woven polypropylene fabric (PP F ). The production was performed in an eco-friendly manner by the supercritical solvent impregnation process (SSIP). This innovative technique capitalizes on remarkable supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO 2 ) attributes as a processing medium, including its non-toxicity, recyclability, and environmental friendliness. The SSIP pressure (15 and 30 MPa), temperature (35 and 50 ºC), and operating time (2 and 4 h) were varied to produce PP F effective against dried bean beetle pests. Variation in production parameters led to variation in the content of T, E, and T/E in PP F in the range 5.0 31.6%, 4.2 23.5%, and 3.3 19.1%, respectively. Optical microscopy, FTIR, and release tests confirmed the presence of T, E, and T/E on the surface of the PP F and controlled release in air for several days. DSC, DMA, and WCA tests revealed that the produced materials exhibited hydrophobicity and robust strength. The study confirmed that the SSIP enabled the production of bioactive materials suitable for the protection of stored beans and potentially other grains and legumes against pest insects.