Development and characterization of antimicrobial poly(l-lactic acid) containing trans-2-hexenal trapped in cyclodextrins

► Development of antimicrobial polymer matrixes made from natural resources like 2E-hexenal, cyclodextrins, and polylactic acid. ► Cyclodextrins are an effective way to incorporate the antimicrobial volatiles like trans-2-hexenal into a polymer matrix. ► Although the concentration of 2E-hexenal was reduced by processing, the polymer was still effective in reducing fungal growth. ► The developed polymer may be a viable antimicrobial material for applications in food packaging.