Biodegradable packages development from starch based heat sealable films

• Published in: Journal of food engineering Vol. 105; no. 2; pp. 254 - 263
• Main Authors: López, Olivia V., Lecot, Carlos J., Zaritzky, Noemí E., García, María A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: bags; Biodegradable packages; Biological and medical sciences; corn starch; Film composition; Food engineering; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; glass transition; glycerol; Handling, storage, packaging, transport; heat; Heat-sealable starch films; microstructure; starch; temperature; thermal analysis; Thermo-mechanical analysis; Heat-sealable starch films; Biodegradable packages; Film composition; Thermo-mechanical analysis; Starch; Film; Heat; Analysis; Development; Packaging; Carbohydrate; Chemical composition; Conditioning; Polysaccharide
• ISSN: 0260-8774; 1873-5770
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2011.02.029

Heat sealing capacity of native and acetylated corn starch based films was evaluated to develop biodegradable packages, such as bags. Thermo-mechanical properties were analyzed since they condition their handling and applications. Acetylated starch addition reinforced 80% sealing resistance of starch films. Unplasticized heat-sealed films presented adhesive failures while those containing glycerol showed a rupture near the zip. Unplasticized films exhibited a single relaxation (at around 60 °C), detected by DMA and conventional DSC, which was not affected by the acetylated starch content. DMA curves of plasticized films showed two relaxations, one close to −50 °C associated to the glass transition of the plasticizer-rich phase, and other around 60 °C, attributed to the starch-rich phase. This last transition was also observed using MTDSC. Glycerol addition decreased the relaxation temperature of the starch-rich phase being this effect more marked in native starch films, about 28%. A relation between film composition, microstructure, mechanical behavior, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis was established.