A study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of using chitosan active films designed to control the release of an antimicrobial agent. In this context, the efficacy of propionic acid as both a medium for chitosan dissolution and an antimicrobial agent was examined. This work was focused on studying the potential application of chitosan active films developed to conserve a pastry dough product, modeling the release profile and evaluating the effectiveness of the active agent by extending the product shelf life. The kinetic release was analyzed in a simulant and in a food matrix. Fitting parameters were lower in the pastry dough than in the buffer, since the food matrix limited the active compound diffusion as well as the film swelling. The advantages of the active chitosan system were the capacity of control antimicrobial release to the pastry dough surface and their ability to be an effective carrier of propionic acid, with a consequent improvement from the technological point of view. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.