Gluten Films Research Articles

Effect of different gliadin/glutenin on the oil content of fried dough sticks: insights obtained from macroscopic to microscopic scales.

Fried dough sticks, widely enjoyed in southeast Asia, are made by frying a mixture of wheat flour and water at high-temperature. With the move towards industrial production, there is an increasing demand for healthier versions. Understanding the key properties of fried dough sticks and how the ingredients interact is crucial for meeting these health-focused consumer preferences. In this study, the connections between the dough's rheological and thermal properties, alongside the interactions between gluten proteins and the oil content in fried dough sticks, were examined and analyzed at varying gliadin to glutenin mass ratios (Gli/Glu). The results indicated that a general decrease in the viscoelastic properties of the dough was associated with an increase in the Gli/Glu ratio. Furthermore, a heightened concentration of gliadin was observed to augment the mass loss of gluten proteins, thereby engendering a spatially sparse network structure. Additionally, this excessive presence of gliadin precipitated the thermal instability within the dough, necessitating an augmented chemical force to preserve the stability of the gluten network structure. At the Gli/Glu ratio of 5:5, the gluten protein exhibited enhanced thermal stability and minimal mass loss. At this specific ratio, the gluten network was characterized by a comparatively high prevalence of extended gluten films and short-chain structures, which resulted in the production of fried dough sticks possessing minimal structural oil content. The study provided a theoretical basis for identifying the Gli/Glu ratio as an effective approach to modulate the oil content in fried dough sticks. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Establishing a biodegradable film with gluten and tea polyphenols: Structure, properties, and function

Film packaging is a common method to extend the shelf life of food during storage. But the non degradability and potential toxicity of some synthetic films are gradually limiting their usage in food packaging. In present study, gluten and tea polyphenols were utilized to prepare a packaging film, and the properties of this film were determined. With addition of tea polyphenols, thickness and tensile properties of film were improved. By using scanning electron microscope, fourier transform infrared spectra and molecular docking, this film showed a dense network structure, which was due to the strong interactions between tea polyphenols and gluten. Hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions were the main molecular forces during the interactions. Meanwhile, the film showed the good thermal stability and barrier properties. In addition, this film exhibited the remarkable capability to scavenge free radicals and inhibited the increase of peroxide value of oil during storage. Moreover, this film had the slow-release properties of tea polyphenols, and could be biodegradable in nature. All present results suggested that tea polyphenols improved the properties and functions of gluten film effectively, and this complex film showed the potential for food preservation in food industry.

Enhancing litchi shelf life with gluten-based nanocomposite films: A comparative study of montmorillonite and starch nanocrystals reinforced with chitosan

This study investigates the efficacy of gluten films incorporated with montmorillonite (MMT) and starch nanocrystals (SNCs), further enriched with chitosan, in preserving the quality of litchis over a 20-day storage period at 4 °C. The addition of MMT/SNCs along with chitosan boosts the tensile strength (52.44 to 57.00 MPa) and surface uniformity of the films while also decreasing water vapour transmission rates (0.77 to 0.68 × 10−3 g/m2/h). Notably, litchis wrapped in these nanocomposite films demonstrate superior shelf stability compared to untreated litchis, which undergo considerable deterioration. Among the film variants, SNCs/chitosan films (GSL2) outperform MMT/chitosan (GML2) due to their superior barrier properties. By the 20th day of storage, litchis packaged in GSL2 films display reduced antioxidant enzyme activity (polyphenol oxidase: 3.18 to 8.08 unit/min/g fruit weight; peroxidase: 0.94 to 5.29 unit/min/g fruit weight) and higher retention of bioactive compounds, including anthocyanin (9.15 to 9.90 mg/100 g), phenolics (347.7 to 362.07 mg/100 g), and ascorbic acid (28.21 to 29.09 mg/100 g) in litchi pericarps during last intervals. Similarly, less alteration was observed in the firmness (8.47 % and 7.36 %) and weight loss (24.04 % and 19.86 %) of the litchis packaged in GML2 and GSL2, respectively as compared to unpackaged litchis. Notably, litchi pericarp exhibits negligible functional group changes when packed in GML2 and GSL2 films until the 15th day of storage. In summary, GML2 and GSL2 films effectively maintain acceptable litchi quality for three weeks.

Synergistic impact of heat and salicylic acid pretreatment on gluten films: Characterization and functional properties

This study investigates how wheat gluten (WG) films in the presence of salicylic acid are influenced by thermal pretreatment. Unlike previous methods conducted at low moisture content, our procedure involves pretreating WG at different temperatures (65 °C, 75 °C, and 85 °C), in a solution with salicylic acid. This pretreatment aims to enhance protein unfolding, thus providing more opportunities for protein-protein interactions during the subsequent solvent casting into films. A significant increase in β-sheet structures was observed in FTIR spectra of samples pretreated at 75 °C and 85 °C, showing a prominent peak in the range of 1630–1640 cm−1. The pretreatment at 85 °C was found to be effective in improving the water resistivity of the films by up to 247 %. Moreover, it led to a significant enhancement of 151 % in tensile strength and a 45 % increase in the elastic modulus. The reduced solubility observed in films derived from pretreated WG suggests the development of an intricate protein network arising from protein-protein interactions during the pretreatment and film formation. Thermal pretreatment at 85 °C significantly enhances the structural and mechanical properties of WG films, including improved water resistivity, tensile strength, and intricate protein network formation.

3D-Printable Sustainable Bioplastics from Gluten and Keratin.

Bioplastic films comprising both plant- and animal-derived proteins have the potential to integrate the optimal characteristics inherent to the specific domain, which offers enormous potential to develop polymer alternatives to petroleum-based plastic. Herein, we present a facile strategy to develop hybrid films comprised of both wheat gluten and wool keratin proteins for the first time, employing a ruthenium-based photocrosslinking strategy. This approach addresses the demand for sustainable materials, reducing the environmental impact by using proteins from renewable and biodegradable sources. Gluten film was fabricated from an alcohol-water mixture soluble fraction, largely comprised of gliadin proteins. Co-crosslinking hydrolyzed low-molecular-weight keratin with gluten enhanced its hydrophilic properties and enabled the tuning of its physicochemical properties. Furthermore, the hierarchical structure of the fabricated films was studied using neutron scattering techniques, which revealed the presence of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic nanodomains, gliadin nanoclusters, and interconnected micropores in the matrix. The films exhibited a largely (>40%) β-sheet secondary structure, with diminishing gliadin aggregate intensity and increasing micropore size (from 1.2 to 2.2 µm) with an increase in keratin content. The hybrid films displayed improved molecular chain mobility, as evidenced by the decrease in the glass-transition temperature from ~179.7 °C to ~173.5 °C. Amongst the fabricated films, the G14K6 hybrid sample showed superior water uptake (6.80% after 30 days) compared to the pristine G20 sample (1.04%). The suitability of the developed system for multilayer 3D printing has also been demonstrated, with the 10-layer 3D-printed film exhibiting >92% accuracy, which has the potential for use in packaging, agricultural, and biomedical applications.

Fabrication and evaluation of vitamin doped Zno/AgNPs nanocomposite based wheat gluten films: a promising findings for burn wound treatment

Burn wound treatment remains a significant issue in wound care management especially when multidrug resistant bacterial infection and accumulation are present. Delayed wound healing is mostly due to ineffectiveness of commercially available wound dressings that protects the wound but less efficient in healing perspective. Therefore, nano-based wound dressing might be efficient solution for wound healing management. The present study reports the fabrication and evaluation of zinc oxide (ZnO) or silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) capped with vitamin A or E nanocomposite that were incorporated in wheat gluten (WG) films. The chemical structure, phase purity, and morphological features confirmed the successful coating of NPs by vitamins A and E and their interaction with WG during film casting. The maximum swelling response was observed by NPs vitamin composite WG films than control films while slow release of vitamins and NPs from films was observed up to 24 h. WG films either carrying ZnO or Ag NPs, and vitamin A or E demonstrated significant antioxidant and antibacterial potential. The NPs-vitamin composite loaded WG films showed wound contraction within 14 days during in vivo burn wound healing experiments on mice model. The rates of wound healing, re-epithelialization, collagen deposition with fibroblast regeneration, adipocytes, and hair follicle development were observed through visual and histopathological examination. The study reveals that vitamin A or E doped ZnO or Ag NPs fabricated in WG can be efficiently used against burn wounds due to their physiochemical and biological properties. Furthermore the biocompatible nature and biodegradable potential make the films more prone to mankind maneuver for initial protection and healing remedy.

Do kafirin bioplastic materials have unique functional characteristics?

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesThere is considerable interest in kafirin, sorghum prolamin, as a bioplastic material because it apparently produces bioplastics with superior functional properties. This review evaluates the evidence, focussing on research directly comparing the properties of kafirin bioplastics (films and elastomers) with those from zein and gluten.FindingsKafirin and zein are more hydrophobic than gluten but there is little difference in hydrophobicity between them. Kafirin and zein films have better moisture barrier properties than gluten films. Films made from total kafirin (α‐, β‐, and γ‐kafirins) are stronger and take up less moisture than films from commercial zein (essentially α‐zein). However, total kafirin‐ and total zein films have similar moisture uptake. Also, there is little difference in oxygen barrier properties between total kafirin‐ and commercial zein films. Total kafirin elastomers have better elastic recovery than commercial‐ and total zein elastomers and similar elastic recovery to gluten.ConclusionsThe better functional properties of kafirin bioplastics compared to commercial zein bioplastics seems to be largely due to the greater disulfide bonded polymerization of kafirin polypeptides, involving the cysteine‐rich β‐ and γ‐kafirin classes.Significance and NoveltyThis work should stimulate research into disulfide‐bonded polymerization of prolamins to improve their bioplastic functionality.

Assessment of properties of gluten-based edible film formulated with beeswax and DATEM for hamburger bread coating.

Using edible films and coatings is one of the effective methods of improving the quality of bread. The aim of the present work was the development of gluten-based films containing lipids to be applied as bread coating, intending to improve quality and delay staleness. In this study, two types of lipids including beeswax and DATEM (diacetyl tartaric ester monoglycerides) were incorporated into gluten film at different levels. The findings showed that inserting both lipids together into gluten for film preparation, weakened the developed films in terms of mechanical and moisture barrier properties. Adding DATEM to the gluten film formulae decreased the elongation at the break and the tensile strength of the film. Using gluten-beeswax coatings for hamburger bread, compared to gluten-DATEM coatings, indicated a significant decrease in the hardness and staling feature. Moreover, applying sorbate as a preservative along with the solvents used in the film preparation prevented the growth of mold during the bread shelf life. In conclusion, the findings in this study indicated that the type and levels of lipids added to the edible gluten-based films and coatings affected the film properties and coated hamburger bread quality, significantly.

Observation of the microstructure of a bi-extended hydrated dough and hydrated gluten under large strain and extremely low strain-rates: Results of an initial study

A small bubble-inflation device was developed for use in conjunction with a Low-to-Mid Range Magnification Digital Microscope. This device made it possible to observe the bi-extension of dough and gluten films at the top of a bubble under conditions that mimicked as closely as possible the typical GCW thicknesses, strains, strain rates and gaseous ambience found in dough during everyday proving or baking. For this stage, experiments were carried out at 20 °C. Stress-strain relationships were measured at strain rates ranging from 0.0006 to 0.09 s−1. The reduction in size yielded higher stress measurements compared to the results obtained from usual inflation devices (Alveograph®). Strain hardening in dough and hydrated gluten was observed regardless of the strain rate applied. A first trial using image analysis of the top of the bubble during deformation revealed useful information on the locations of the dough constituents and made it possible to reevaluate strain and strain-rate. The Hencky strain and stress at rupture were found to be of the order of 1.23 and 50–100 kPa respectively. This work illustrates the potential benefits of linking image analysis to a bubble-inflation device for the analysis of the mechanisms involved in the mechanical rupture of dough films.

Comparative studies on physicochemical properties of gluten‐ and glutenin‐based films functionalized by polyphenols

AbstractBackground and objectivesThis study aimed to develop gluten‐ and glutenin‐based active films functionalized individually by three different types of polyphenols (naringin, cyanidin‐3‐O‐glucoside, and proanthocyanidin). The interaction of these phenolic compounds with gluten and glutenin, and the effect of presence of these polyphenols on the physicochemical, antioxidative, and antimicrobial properties of resulting films were evaluated.Findings.The proanthocyanidin interacted with gluten and glutenin helped to form rougher surface structure and more homogeneous cross‐sectional structure. Therefore, the water vapor barrier property, water repellence, tensile strength, and thermal stability of the films were substantially improved in the presence of proanthocyanidin. The films containing proanthocyanidin also showed ability to inhibit growth of foodborne pathogens and scavenge free radical. Furthermore, the glutenin films exhibited higher tensile strength and better thermal stability. The gluten films possessed better water vapor barrier property and water repellence.ConclusionThere were significant differences in physical properties between gluten films and glutenin films due to the difference of composition. However, the effects of polyphenols on the physical properties of the two films were basically the same.Significanceand novelty.The differences in physicochemical properties between gluten‐ and glutenin‐based films functionalized by polyphenols were illustrated in this study.

Effects of Konjac glucomannan with different viscosities on the rheological and microstructural properties of dough and the performance of steamed bread

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is used as an additive to improve the properties of wheat products. The effects of three types of KGM on the rheological properties and microstructure of dough, as well as the performance of steamed bread were investigated in this study. Particularly, dough with KGM displayed new features such as reduced peak viscosity, breakdown and setback. As the viscosity of KGM increased, the stability of the dough structure increased, while the viscosity and fluidity of the dough decreased. More interestingly, the gluten film of dough also increased with increasing substitution level and viscosity of KGM. Consistently, KGM with higher viscosity improved the quality of steamed bread. Generally, three types of KGM have different effects on the rheological characteristics and microstructure of dough, as well as the performance of steamed bread, which provide useful information for the proper application of KGM in wheat-based foods.

Impact of glycation on physical properties of composite gluten/zein nanofibrous films fabricated by blending electrospinning

In this study, the gluten/zein nanofibrous films were fabricated by blending electrospinning and then glycated with xylose via Maillard reaction. The average fiber diameter of the gluten film decreased from 551 to 343 nm with the increasing ratio of zein, but increased significantly to a range of 717–521 nm after glycation, which induced a higher thermal stability of the nanofibers with an order to disorder transition. The glycated composite films showed the reduced water vapor permeability and improved water stability with a stiffer and more elastic network structure, due to the enhanced intermolecular entanglements and interactions between polymer chains. The results from this work suggested that the composite gluten/zein electrospun films may be glycated via Maillard reaction to obtain desirable physical properties for active food-packaging applications.

Evaluation of Physico-mechanical and Antifungal Properties Of Gluten-based Film Incorporated with Vanillin, Salicylic Acid, and Montmorillonite (Cloisite 15A)

A novel wheat gluten (WG) film was developed by adding vanillin, salicylic acid, and montmorillonite cloisite 15A (MMT). Some physico-mechanical properties, including thickness, tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (E), yellowness index (YI), whiteness index (WI), and water solubility (SWF) of the film were investigated using response surface methodology. Results revealed that maximum tensile strength occurred at the highest level of MMT and salicylic acid, and that the effect of MMT on elongation at break was considerable. The YI and WI of the composite films increased respectively, while the WI value and increment of MMT reduced. Moreover, the water solubility was raised with an increasing amount of MMT, vanillin, and salicylic content in the films. The optimum level of the variables obtained by the software was 0.92% vanillin, 0.94% salicylic acid, and 1.92% MMT (% w/w). The intensity and shifting of some absorption peaks in the FTIR spectra pattern confirmed the interaction of functional groups of additive and gluten chain. SEM images revealed an even distribution of the particles with no evidence of particle agglomeration in WG/vanillin/salicylic acid/MMT. Inhibition zone around the nanocomposite films against Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternate strains indicated antifungal activity of WG nanocomposite films, which was more considerably observed for Aspergillus niger.

Biodegradable Nanocomposite Film Based on Gluten/Silica/Calcium Chloride: Physicochemical Properties and Bioactive Compounds Extraction Capacity

In this study, a biodegradable wheat gluten (WG) film containing calcium chloride and nano silica (WG/CaCl2/SiO2) was prepared and the physicochemical properties of the film were investigated. Finally, the WG/CaCl2/SiO2 film was used as a polymeric adsorbent for extraction of bioactive compounds from red grape pomace. The properties of the composite film, including thickness, water vapor permeability (WVP), solubility, antioxidant activity and mechanical property were investigated. FT-IR, SEM, XRD and DSC tests were performed to investigate the physical, morphology and thermal properties of film. The results showed that the addition of SiO2 decreased the WVP because these nanoparticles can fill the porous cavities of the film matrix. Furthermore, SiO2 caused to improve the water resistance of the film. With the addition of SiO2, the antioxidant content of the films increased compared to the control film. The addition of SiO2 to the film decreased the crystal property and addition of CaCl2 increased the crystal property of the film. In the second step, the optimum film as adsorbent was used to extract of the bioactive compounds from the red grape pomace. For this purpose, total phenol, flavonoid and anthocyanin content were measured before and after the extraction by film, and the optimum extraction conditions were obtained by the desirability function method. At optimum extraction condition, the phenolic compounds were extracted with 76.9% efficiency and optimum extraction temperature and time were 20.5 °C and 27.1 h, respectively. Due to the low solubility of WG/CaCl2/SiO2 film in water and its appropriate thermal and mechanical stability, the WG/CaCl2/SiO2 film in different aquatic environments can be used to extract bioactive compounds of fruit pomace.

Fabrication and Characterization of Gluten Film Reinforced by Lycopene-Loaded Electrospun Polylactic Acid Nano-fibers

Reinforced edible gluten film was successfully prepared by the addition of polylactic acid (PLA) nano-fibers to improve their mechanical and barrier properties. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the transverse cross-section of gluten film was performed to investigate the binding of PLA fibers to the surface of gluten film. It was observed that the nano-fibers attached to the surface of the gluten film could improve by 13.9% in the barrier properties and up to 29.3% in the mechanical properties compared to the control gluten film. The effect of ultraviolet light exposure on the tensile strength and water vapor barrier properties, as well as the stability of lycopene encapsulated in PLA nano-fibers, was investigated. It was shown that PLA nano-fibers in gluten film reduce UV light’s harmful effect on the water vapor barrier properties by up to 6.8% and on the tensile strength up to 23.5% compared to the control film. The results also showed that the treatment of lycopene with ultraviolet light, unlike the control sample (55.7% degradation in lycopene), had no destructive effect on the antioxidant activity of lycopene. Finally, the rate of release of lycopene was studied in fatty food simulants. It was observed in gluten/PLA film that the encapsulation of lycopene in PLA nano-fibers has a much lower rate of release than the direct addition of lycopene to gluten film. Gluten film containing electrospun nano-fibers showed a release rate of lycopene about 31.8% at approximately 90 h. However, the sample of nano-fibers-free gluten film had a release rate of 48.5% at the same time. This result is beneficial for active food packaging because it allows food to be stored for longer in the packaging.

Superior water stability and antimicrobial activity of electrospun gluten nanofibrous films incorporated with glycerol monolaurate

In this study, the gluten nanofibrous films incorporated with glycerol monolaurate (GML) were fabricated through electrospinning. With the increasing concentration of GML, the surface tension of the gluten solution decreased continuously, while the viscosity decreased at a lower concentration of 4% GML but then increased significantly. Compared to the spindle-in-string fiber morphology of the electrospun gluten film, the addition of GML resulted in uniform smooth nanofibers with diameters ranging from 317 to 149 nm. As indicated by the XRD and FTIR analysis, GML was uniformly dispersed in the gluten films through hydrogen bonding at lower concentrations, but crystalized at higher concentrations, leading to a stiffer but brittle network. The incorporation of GML caused a more hydrophilic film surface as evidenced by the more accelerated decrease in water contact angle, but endowed the gluten nanofibrous films with a superior water stability and excellent antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. These results suggested the potentials of the electrospun GML incorporated gluten films with superior water stability for antimicrobial food-packaging applications.

Effects of edible plant polyphenols on gluten protein functionality and potential applications of polyphenol-gluten interactions.

Expanding plant-based protein applications is increasingly popular. Polyphenol interactions with wheat gluten proteins can be exploited to create novel functional foods and food ingredients. Polyphenols are antioxidants, thus generally decrease gluten strength by reducing disulfide cross-linking. Monomeric polyphenols can be used to reduce dough mix time and improve flexibility of the gluten network, including to plasticize gluten films. However, high-molecular-weight polyphenols (tannins) cross-link gluten proteins, thereby increasing protein network density and strength. Tannin-gluten interactions can greatly increase gluten tensile strength in dough matrices, as well as batter viscosity and stability. This could be leveraged to reduce detrimental effects of healthful inclusions, like bran and fiber, to loaf breads and other wheat-based products. Further, the dual functions of tannins as an antioxidant and gluten cross-linker could help restructure gluten proteins and improve the texture of plant-based meat alternatives. Tannin-gluten interactions may also be used to reduce inflammatory effects of gluten experienced by those with gluten allergies and celiac disease. Other potential applications of tannin-gluten interactions include formation of food matrices to reduce starch digestibility; creation of novel biomaterials for edible films or medical second skin type bandages; or targeted distribution of micronutrients in the digestive tract. This review focuses on the effects of polyphenols on wheat gluten functionality and discusses emerging opportunities to employ polyphenol-gluten interactions.

Development and evaluation study of polyvinyl alcohol with gluten film

Plastic being a non-degradable product paves a way for soil pollution on disposal and disrupts the environment condition. And so there is a need to look for an alternate material instead of plastics to reduce its usage in the regular life of people. To reduce the non-degradability of plastic, bio polymer employments of lipids, proteins, and polysaccharides have been resolute in plastics. In this research work, we have incorporated wheat gluten protein with PVA polymer along with citric acid as a cross linker in order to improve the mechanical and biodegradable property. The polymer film prepared by solvent cast method was treated with UV rays for case one and without UV rays for the second case. The result showed tensile strength of PVA, and UV treated PVA-gluten to be 32 N/mm 2 and 41 N/mm 2 respectively. PVA-gluten UV treated film was degraded within 20 days, whereas the pure PVA polymer undergo degradation in 32 days. From the result, it shows that the addition of gluten into PVA polymer improve the mechanical and biodegradable property and it could be a better alternative for eco-friendly packaging.

Conducting/smart color film based on wheat gluten/chlorophyll/polypyrrole nanocomposite

Abstract In this research biodegradable films based on wheat gluten modified with chlorophyll/polypyrrole (WG/Ch/PPy) were prepared. Some characteristics of synthesized films including; thickness, solubility, water vapor permeability (WVP), moisture, opacity, color, antioxidant, and antimicrobial and conductivity properties were studied. According to the results, by adding chlorophyll and polypyrrole to gluten film, the solubility was significantly decreased. The opacity of films was significantly increased with adding chlorophyll and polypyrrole, where the effect of polypyrrole was higher than chlorophyll. With the addition of chlorophyll and polypyrrole, the antioxidant activity of the films was increased. According to the mechanical properties, the addition of chlorophyll and polypyrrole increased the tensile strength of the films. Also results showed that chlorophyll had no effect on the antibacterial property against Escherichia coli, but PPy enhanced the antibacterial character of gluten film significantly. FT-IR results confirmed the creation of new interaction between gluten, PPy and chlorophyll. SEM results showed that PPy particles (40–100 nm) uniformly covered the film surface. XRD results showed that PPy and chlorophyll decreased the crystalline structure of gluten film. The WG/Ch/PPy film can be used as smart film because of its conductivity change and color change. The changing of film conductivity and film color during storage time of food can represent food quality.

Photocatalytic/Antimicrobial Active Film Based on Wheat Gluten/ZnO Nanoparticles

The purpose of this study was to investigate the photocatalytic/antimicrobial properties of biodegradable film based on wheat gluten/zinc oxide nanocomposites (WG/ZnO) for the active packaging of food products. In this study, central composite design (CCD) was used to study the effect of gluten percent (15, 22.5 and 30%) and ZnO percent (0, 2 and 4%) on the photocatalytic, mechanical and physicochemical properties of WG/ZnO film. Some properties of films, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, FT-IR, SEM, solubility, water absorption, thickness, moisture, colorimetric (L*, a* and b*) and opacity were investigated. Antibacterial and antifungal properties of films based on photocatalytic activity were investigated in three wavelengths of 500, 365 and 254 nm on the Escherichia coli and Aspergillus Niger. The results of the photocatalytic/antimicrobial activity of the films showed that pure gluten film had no effect on bacteria and fungi at three wavelengths, but films containing zinc oxide nanoparticles showed a significant inhibitory effect on bacteria and fungi at 365 and 254 nm. Antibacterial and anti-fungal inhibitory effects were observed at 254 nm stronger than 365 nm (p < 0.05). This result showed that at lower wavelengths the photocatalytic activity was induced to the film. The results of the antioxidant test showed that pure gluten had no antioxidant activity, but antioxidant activity increased with increasing zinc oxide nanoparticles significantly (p < 0.05). The results of the FT-IR analysis showed that new interactions between zinc oxide nanoparticles and gluten polymer of wheat were created. The results showed that when the ZnO particle concentration was low, these particles were distributed uniformly, but high concentration of zinc oxide in the film leaded to agglomeration of these particles.