Abstract
Polysaccharides obtained from plant have been investigated for the development of edible/biodegradable non petrochemical-based packaging materials. Alcayota (Curcubita ficifolia) is the fruit of a creeping plant such as watermelon and melon. It is the fruit of a creeping plant such as watermelon and melon. After separating the pulp from the husk and seeds it is dried and ground to obtain a flour. Different alcayota flour is made to hydrolyze then. Alkaline hydrolysis is released to extraction of alcayota gum and is purified by hydroalcoholic solutions. The films were prepared from water solution of hydrolyzed alcayota gum (AlcOH). AlcOH film present properties are mainly due to the strong hydrophilicity. In order to improve water resistance, the films were modified using glutaraldehyde (Glu), in order to make the water insoluble film. The crosslinked films providing a low water vapor permeability (WVP) and high mechanical properties expressed in elastic modulus. The X-ray diffraction showed amorphous and shift to lower dspacing, i.e. at lower distances between the polysaccharide chains. These crosslinked membranes exhibit excellent water resistance, low O2 permeation, which make them very useful in selecting biodegradable polymer and films.
Highlights
Synthetic plastics, due to their accumulation and their long decomposition time, generate a great environmental problem
The tensile strength values shown by the films based on polysaccharides vary from one another, but some of them exhibit values similar to those observed in the values of synthetic polymers [1]
Hsian-tsao gum (HG) and casein (CAS) films were prepared, and the results showed that the addition of HG gave the CAS film better mechanical properties and moisture resistance, with stronger barrier properties against light and higher antioxidant activities that pure CAS film [32]
Summary
Due to their accumulation and their long decomposition time, generate a great environmental problem. Research efforts for the development of film and coatings from biorenobable material are carried out, where the raw material to prepare biodegradable film is renewable biopolymer, which are very abundant in nature and inexpensive. These materials can be obtained from urban waste, of biological origin, and agroindustrial. The excellent mechanical properties of the tensile strength and the percentage of elongation are very important when designing a biopackaging. The objective of these biopackages is to maintain the integrity of the food. The tensile strength values shown by the films based on polysaccharides vary from one another, but some of them exhibit values similar to those observed in the values of synthetic polymers [1]
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