Chitosan/cyclodextrin films (CS:CD) incorporating carvacrol were obtained by casting, and conditioned at 23 °C
and 75% relative humidity prior to being immersed in liquid carvacrol until they reached sorption equilibrium. In
a previouswork, the in vitro antimicrobial activity of these filmswas studied. In this work, active filmswere used
to inhibit microbial growth in packaged chicken breast fillets. Samples of CS:CD films loaded with carvacrol, of
different sizes and thus with different quantities of antimicrobial agent, were stuck to the aluminium lid used
to seal PP/EVOH/PP cups containing 25 g of chicken fillets. These sampleswere stored for 9 days at 4 °C. The packages
were hermetically sealed and it was confirmed that they provided an infinite barrier to carvacrol. The
partition of the antimicrobial agent within the food/packaging system was analysed. The antimicrobial devices
rapidly released a large percentage of the agent load, amounts that were gained by the adhesive coating of the
lid and especially by the chicken fillets. The latter were the main sorbent phase, with average concentrations
ranging between 200 and 5000 mg/Kg during the period of storage. Themicrobiota of the packaged fresh chicken
fillets – mesophiles, psychrophiles, Pseudomonas spp., enterobacteria, lactic acid bacteria and yeasts and fungi –
were analysed and monitored during storage. A general microbial inhibition was observed, increasing with the
size of the active device. Inhibition with a 24 cm2 device ranged from0.3 log reductions against lactic acid bacteria
to 1.8 logs against yeasts and fungi. However, the large amount of antimicrobial that was sorbed or that reacted
with the fillet caused an unacceptable sensory deterioration. These high sorption values are probably due to a
great chemical compatibility between chicken proteins and carvacrol