Preliminary evaluation of packaging-content interactions: mechanical and physico-chemical characterization of PLA bottles

Biodegradable materials as polylactide (PLA) are very interesting for cosmetic packaging application. However, these polymers, under environmental conditions or/and chemical treatments, can undergo “aging,” compromising their performances such as container. The aim of this study was the evaluation of mechanical, physicochemical, and organoleptic properties of PLA bottles present in the cosmetic market. In particular, mechanical tests and thermal analyses were applied to study the PLA container degradation under stressed physicochemical conditions. Calorimetric and morphological analyses were applied to evaluate differences between internal and external surface of containers. Results highlighted that the heating process together with chemical treatment determined a significant modification on polymer, leading to a more resistant and fragile material, whereas the only physical or chemical treatment alone showed a plasticizing effect. In conclusion, this study represents a start point to evaluate content–packaging interactions to optimize the choice of PLA polymer as cosmetic packaging.