Direct addition of antimicrobials (organic acids or their respective acid anhydrides, spice extracts, chelating agents,metals, enzymes, bacteriocins, etc.) could result in some loss of activity because of leaching into the food matrix, and cross-reaction with other food components such as lipids or proteins (Han and Floros 1997; Davies et al. 1999; Hoffman Therefore, the use of packaging films containing antimicrobial agents could be more efficient, by a controlled migration of the compound into the food, not only allowing