United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary of Agriculture

LinShu Liu

Kevin B Hicks

Marshall L Fishman

David R Coffin

Zhonglin T Jin

A composition containing poly(lactic acid), at least one bacteriocin (e.g., nisin, generally in the form of Nisaplin&#xae;), and at least one plasticizer (e.g., lactic acid, lactide, triacetin, glycerol triacetate), and optionally at least one pore forming agent. A method of making the composition, involving mixing about 100% of the total of the poly(lactic acid), about 50% to about 90% of the total of the at least one plasticizer, and optionally at least one pore forming agent at a first temperature of about 150&#xb0; to about 170&#xb0; C. to form a mixture, cooling the mixture to a second temperature of about 115&#xb0; to about 125&#xb0; C., adding at least one bacteriocin and about 10% to about 50% of the total of the at least one plasticizer and the remainder of the total of the poly(lactic acid) to the mixture and mixing to form the composition.

Compositions containing poly(lactic acid), bacteriocin(s), plasticizers(s), and optionally pore forming agent(s), and methods or making

A porous polymeric matrix containing at least one natural polymer and at least one synthetic polymer and optionally at least one cation. Furthermore, a method of making a porous polymeric matrix involving mixing at least one natural polymer and inorganic salts with a solution comprising at least one solvent and at least one synthetic polymer to form a slurry, casting the slurry in a mold and removing the solvent to form solid matrices, immersing the solid matrices in deionized water to allow natural polymer cross-linking and pore creation to occur simultaneously, and drying the matrices to create a porous polymeric matrix; wherein the matrix contains a cation. Also, a method of making a porous polymeric matrix, involving mixing at least one natural polymer in an aqueous solvent and mixing at least one synthetic polymer in an organic solvent, combining the mixtures and casting in a mold, and separately removing said aqueous solvent and said organic solvent to form a porous polymeric matrix; wherein the porous polymeric matrix does not contain a cation.

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Wyncote, PA, United States of America

LinShu Liu