Migration and storage study of food products packed in biodegradable films (LDPE and Modified Corn Starch)

Abstract

This study focuses on the migration and storage properties of biodegradable films made from a blend of Low-Density Poly Ethylene (LDPE) and modified corn starch with food products. The overall migration (OM) from the biodegradable film in contact with food products such as potato chips and biscuits were investigated for six months using simulant ‘D’ as per IS 9845:1988. During the migration study, the highest OM was 3.94 mg/dm2 for potato chips and 3.47 mg/dm2 for biscuits, respectively within the permissible limit as per standards. The moisture content of the biodegradable films (T1 and T2) containing potato chips remained consistent with the product standard specification for up to four months. When biodegradable films containing biscuits T1 and T2 were compared to T0 up to four months, they showed 3.61% and 4.02% moisture content, respectively, indicating suitability as a packaging material. Results showed that the peroxide value (PV) of potato chips packed in films of all treatments increased from 1.91 to 6.87 meq kg-1 from 1 to 3 months which indicates the suitability of biodegradable film as a food packaging material. The findings revealed that the OM rate was affected by the type of food packed, duration of contact, and the type of packaging material, well within specifications of the Bureau of Indian Standards. Hence, this biodegradable film can be used for packing food products (Biscuits, Chips) safely.