STUDIES ON PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION OF BIODEGRADABLE FILMS AS A FOOD PACKAGING MATERIAL

Abstract

This study included two major parts:

Tile first part:

The study in this part mainly concentrate on the following:

1) Production of biodegradable plastic films from com protein (commercial zein ) with some different additives of plasticizing agents (glycerin and oleic acid) at different concentration (25% and 50%). • 2) Using cross-linking agents as (6% citric acid, 10% oxidized starch and 10% potato starch) in preparation the biodegradable films.

3) Using different temperature (60C and 90C) and solvents ( aqueous solution pH: 2 and ethanol 80% for preparation of the biodegradable films

4)Study the effect of different factors on the physical and mechanical properties of twenty-eight films produced from the combination above.

The obtained results could be summarized as follows:

1-Thickness of the twenty-four kinds of biodegradable materials was different, although the volume of poured solution in trays was constant. This was depending on preparation temperature and cross-linking agents used. The films contain starch have higher thickness than those containing citric acid as cross-linking agent. Meanwhile, using ethanol 80% as a solvent revealed a good appearance of all produced film's surfacand their thickness. 2- Films produced with oleic acid cracks easily and have higher range of

oxygen transmission OTR and this effect was the opposite when glycerin was used.