Edible Films of Whey and Cassava Starch: Physical, Thermal, and Microstructural Characterization

Yasmine Ariadne Andrade Martins,Mariana Buranelo Egea,Marcella Fernandes Borges Sandre,Paulo Victor Toledo Leão,Karen Martins Leão,Edmar Soares Nicolau,Nayane Matias Silva,Samuel Viana Ferreira,Geovana Rocha Plácido,Marco Antônio Pereira Da Silva,Josemar Gonçalves Oliveira Filho

doi:10.3390/coatings10111059

Yasmine Ariadne Andrade Martins, Mariana Buranelo Egea + Show 9 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings10111059

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Abstract

The present work aimed to obtain and characterize edible films produced with liquid whey and cassava starch. The films were produced with different proportions of whey (63.75–67.50%) and cassava starch (7.50–11.25%) and characterized in relation to physical, thermal, and microstructural properties. The films showed reduced solubility with increasing concentrations of cassava starch, and those with the highest proportions of whey were more stable to thermal decomposition. The increase in concentration of cassava starch altered the microstructure of the films, making them more irregular and with an accumulation of matter. The production of biodegradable polymer blend films is an important step in the development of films for use in packaging, with the formulation of 67.50/7.50% whey/cassava starch being the best film for continued future work.

Highlights

Packaging is an essential tool to ensure containment and preservation of food
The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of a mixture of cassava starch and whey protein on the physical, thermal, and microstructural properties of edible films
The cassava starch was solubilized in liquid whey and homogenized until complete solubilization

Summary

Introduction

Packaging is an essential tool to ensure containment and preservation of food. These packages are based on polymers derived from oil, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene. Different types of plastics are utilized due to their low cost and easy manufacture. Serious environmental problems are caused due to the nonbiodegradability of these materials, increasing the interest of researchers in biodegradable packaging production using natural polymers extracted from renewable sources for application in food packaging [1,2,3,4]. Biodegradable films are produced from organic macromolecules, such as polysaccharides, proteins, or lipids. Films formulated from polysaccharides have good barrier properties to O2 and CO2 ; their water barrier and mechanical properties are weak

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