A composition comprising: a) a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester, wherein the aliphatic polyester is selected from the group consisting of poly(lactic acid), poly(glycolic acid), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), blends, and copolymers thereof; b) an antimicrobial component incorporated therein, selected from the group consisting of: cationic antimicrobial amine compounds; (C 7 - C 22) saturated fatty acid esters of a polyhydric alcohol, (C 8 -C 22) unsaturated fatty acid esters of a polyhydric alcohol, (C 7 - C 22) saturated fatty ethers of a polyhydric alcohol, (C 8 -C 22) unsaturated fatty ethers of a polyhydric alcohol, (C 2 -C 8) hydroxy acid esters of (C 7 -C 22) alcohols, alkoxylated derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof, wherein the alkoxylated derivatives have less than 5 moles of alkoxide group per mole of polyhydric alcohol or per mole of hydroxycarboxylic acid; with the proviso that for polyhydric alcohols other than sucrose, the esters comprise monoesters and the ethers comprise monoethers, and for sucrose the esters comprise monoesters, diesters, or combinations thereof, and the ethers comprise monoethers, diethers, or mixtures thereof, wherein the antimicrobial component is present in an amount greater than 1 percent by weight of the aliphatic polyester; and c) an enhancer selected from the group consisting of beta-hydroxy acids, chelating agents, (C 2 - C 6) saturated or unsaturated alkyl carboxylic acids, (C 6 - C 16) aryl carboxylic acids, (C 6 - C 16) aralkyl carboxylic acids, (C 6 - C 12) alkaryl carboxylic acids, phenolic compounds, (C 1 - C 10) alkyl alcohols, ether glycols, oligomers that degrade to release one of the aforesaid enhancers, and mixtures thereof in an amount greater than 0.1 percent by weight of the aliphatic polyester, except for phenolic compounds which are in an amount greater than 0.5 weight percent; provided that, if the antimicrobial component is selected from (C 7 - C 22) saturated fatty acid esters of a polyhydric alcohol, (C 8 -C 22) unsaturated fatty acid esters of a polyhydric alcohol, or alkoxylated derivatives thereof, the purity of the antimicrobial component exceeds 85 percent by weight monoester. a) a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester, wherein the aliphatic polyester is selected from the group consisting of poly(lactic acid), poly(glycolic acid), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), blends, and copolymers thereof; b) an antimicrobial component incorporated therein, selected from the group consisting of: cationic antimicrobial amine compounds; (C 7 - C 22) saturated fatty acid esters of a polyhydric alcohol, (C 8 -C 22) unsaturated fatty acid esters of a polyhydric alcohol, (C 7 - C 22) saturated fatty ethers of a polyhydric alcohol, (C 8 -C 22) unsaturated fatty ethers of a polyhydric alcohol, (C 2 -C 8) hydroxy acid esters of (C 7 -C 22) alcohols, alkoxylated derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof, wherein the alkoxylated derivatives have less than 5 moles of alkoxide group per mole of polyhydric alcohol or per mole of hydroxycarboxylic acid; with the proviso that for polyhydric alcohols other than sucrose, the esters comprise monoesters and the ethers comprise monoethers, and for sucrose the esters comprise monoesters, diesters, or combinations thereof, and the ethers comprise monoethers, diethers, or mixtures thereof, wherein the antimicrobial component is present in an amount greater than 1 percent by weight of the aliphatic polyester; and c) an enhancer selected from the group consisting of beta-hydroxy acids, chelating agents, (C 2 - C 6) saturated or unsaturated alkyl carboxylic acids, (C 6 - C 16) aryl carboxylic acids, (C 6 - C 16) aralkyl carboxylic acids, (C 6 - C 12) alkaryl carboxylic acids, phenolic compounds, (C 1 - C 10) alkyl alcohols, ether glycols, oligomers that degrade to release one of the aforesaid enhancers, and mixtures thereof in an amount greater than 0.1 percent by weight of the aliphatic polyester, except for phenolic compounds which are in an amount greater than 0.5 weight percent;