ORIGINAL ARTICLE Active biodegradable film with encapsulated anthocyanins: Effect on the quality attributes of extra-virgin olive oil during storage Liana Stoll | Alexandre Martins da Silva | Aline Oliveira e Silva Iahnke | Tania Maria Haas Costa | Simone Hickmann Fl ^ ores | Alessandro de Oliveira Rios Instituto de Ci^ encia e Tecnologia de Alimentos - UFRGS - Ci^ encia de Alimentos, Av Bento Gonçalves 9500 Porto Alegre, RS Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil Correspondence Liana Stoll, Instituto de Ci^ encia e Tecnologia de Alimentos - UFRGS - Ci^ encia de Alimentos, Av Bento Gonçalves 9500 Porto Alegre, RS Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil. Email: lianastoll@hotmail.com Funding information CAPES and CNPq Abstract The aim of this study was to verify the effectiveness of an active biodegradable film on the main- tenance of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) quality attributes. Level of peroxides, acidity, K 232 , color, chlorophylls, and carotenoids were determined as parameters to verify the oil quality over storage period. Maltodextrin was used to encapsulate anthocyanins and was the major component in the films, which were used as pouches to pack the oil. The samples were stored at 408C, exposed to fluorescent light, and monitored during 12 days. The film successfully maintained the quality of EVOO under the limits established by Codex Alimentarius for over 8 days (13.6 meq O 2 /kg of peroxides at the 8 th day), while the oil packed in polypropylene pouches was degraded before the 4 th day of storage (326.5 meq O2/kg). Therefore, the results demonstrated the effec- tiveness of the film on maintaining the quality of EVOO and its promising application as active packaging. Practical application Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is an oxidation-sensitive product and has been shown to quickly dete- riorate when stored under less than ideal conditions. The study brings a new packaging possibility to the commercialization of EVOO with longer shelf-life. The storage of extra-virgin olive oil in bio- degradable pouches produced with anthocyanins could preserve EVOO from oxidation and consequently extent its shelf-life. The study proves the efficacy of an active biodegradable packag- ing on maintaining quality attributes of EVOO. The commercialization of EVOO in active biodegradable pouches could be an eco-friendly and sustainable way to bring health and practical- ity to consumers. KEYWORDS anthocyanins, biodegradable packaging, extra-virgin olive oil, maltodextrin 1 | INTRODUCTION Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is obtained from olives solely by mechani- cal or other physical processes. The presence of natural antioxidant components such as carotenoids, chlorophylls, and tocopherol is a typi- cal characteristic of EVOO, which is an advantage in comparison with other vegetable oils that have these components removed because of the refining process they are submitted (Rizzo, Torri, Licciardello, Pier- giovanni, & Muratore, 2014). Other important characteristic of EVOO is the predominance of monounsaturated fatty acids over the unsatu- rated ones, hence the intake of EVOO presents positive results in the increase of HDL (High-Density Lipoproteins) and reduction of LDL (Low-Density Lipoproteins) oxidation (Piscopo & Poiana, 2012). Because of its unique composition, nutritional value, and health bene- fits, EVOO has gained worldwide acceptance by ever-more-conscious consumers (Servili et al., 2004) As in any other fat-containing product, rancidity of edible oil because of oxidative degradation is a serious problem. The oxidation rate in vegetable oils depends on a number of factors that include the availability of oxygen, presence of light, and temperature (Pristouri, J Food Process Preserv. 2017;e13218. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfpp.13218 wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jfpp V C 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. | 1 of 8 Received: 25 April 2016 | Revised: 29 June 2016 | Accepted: 10 September 2016 DOI 10.1111/jfpp.13218