Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess the ability of producing laminated edible films manufactured using the following proteins; gelatin (G), whey protein isolate (WPI) and polysaccharide sodium alginate (SA), and to evaluate their physical properties. Additionally, films’ preparation employing these ingredients was optimized through the addition of corn oil (O). Overall, 8-types of laminated films (G-SA, G-WPI, SA-WPI, SA-G-WPI, GO-SAO, GO-WPIO, SAO-WPIO and SAO-GO-WPIO) were developed in this study. The properties of the prepared films were characterized through the measurement of tensile strength (TS), elongation at break point (EB), puncture resistance (PR), tear strength (TT), water vapour permeability (WVP) and oxygen permeability (OP). The microstructure of cross-sections of laminated films was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Mechanical properties of films were dramatically enhanced through the addition of film layers. GO-SAO laminate showed the best barrier properties to water vapour (22.6 ± 4.04 g mm/kPa d m2) and oxygen (18.2 ± 8.70 cm3 mm/kPa d m2). SAO-GO-WPIO laminate film was the strongest of all laminated films tested, having the highest TS of 55.77 MPa, PR of 41.36 N and TT of 27.32 N. SA-G-WPI film possessed the highest elasticity with an EB value of 17.4%.
Highlights
Conventional packaging materials, which have included the use of wood, paper-based products, glass, metals and plastics, plastic-based laminates and co-extrusions have formed the cornerstone to those formats which have, and still for the most-part, underpin the commercial packaging used around retailed products and throughout all three packaging levels, primary, secondary and tertiary
While much controversy surrounds the use of current, conventional, non-biodegradable packaging materials such as plastics and plastic-based packaging on environmental grounds, it is important that we do not exert ’knee-jerk’ reactions, which result in adopting packaging materials and formats, which are not robust enough to successfully contain, protect or preserve food products
The primary objectives of this study were to develop laminated edible/biodegradable/compostable films consisting of G, whey protein isolate (WPI) and sodium alginate (SA) and to optimize films properties through the addition of corn oil (O) using a solvent casting technique and to assess their mechanical properties (tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EB), puncture resistance (PR), tear strength (TT)), barrier properties (water vapour permeability (WVP) and oxygen permeability (OP)) and cross-sectional laminated structure by scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
Summary
Conventional packaging materials, which have included the use of wood, paper-based products, glass, metals (primarily steel and aluminium) and plastics, plastic-based laminates and co-extrusions have formed the cornerstone to those formats which have, and still for the most-part, underpin the commercial packaging used around retailed products and throughout all three packaging levels, primary (sales), secondary (collation and handling) and tertiary (transport) Flexible packaging materials such as, for example, oil-sourced laminates (including, but not limited to polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene and polyamide) have led to the reduction of product costs (especially for food), wide and almost constant availability of product types regardless of seasonality, creation of competition in the marketplace, and provision of consumer convenience in many different forms (large and small pouches, flow packs and others). Packaging pollution of our global environment has been in the making since the 1950s and the real failure associated with packaging is not the packaging waste itself, but the human failure in the first instance to put systems in place to deal with different packaging materials when initially introduced into the marketplace for use
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