Active and sustainable materials from rice starch, fish protein and oregano essential oil for food packaging

Abstract

The development of blends using sustainable raw materials promises to reach superior properties compared to biodegradable materials in general, besides the low cost and environmental appealing. This study investigates the addition of oregano essential oil (OEO) in blends from rice starch/fish protein to be used as active packaging. For this purpose, rice starch was extracted from broken grains and fish protein was recovered from Withemouth Croacker (Micropogonias furnieri). The influence of different ratios of starch/protein was confirmed by mechanical properties, solubility, water vapor permeability, opacity and color parameters. The results showed that the ratio 50/50 of starch/protein was the most suitable for packaging materials development. It had the lower solubility (8.0%), water vapor permeability (0.18gmmkPa−1h−1m−2), and intermediate mechanical properties (Tensile strength 5.69MPa, Elongation 85.5%). Morphology and thermal tests were related to the properties of the films and confirmed that the matrix was homogeneous and cohesive. The antioxidant tests confirmed the activity of the blends in inhibition of peroxidase suggesting its promising application as anti-browning packaging in fruits and vegetables. Based on the results, this research demonstrated that the use of rice starch and fish protein to form sustainable blends represents an interesting alternative for the production of active packaging and for the development of eco-friendly technologies.