Impact of acid and oxidative modifications, single or dual, of sorghum starch on biodegradable films

Starch-gelatin film as an alternative to the use of plastics in agriculture: a review

BACKGROUND

The technological advances in agriculture, driven by the increased demand for food attributed to population growth, have led to the search for technologies that allow greater control over the variables that interfere in crop yield. Several techniques stand out for optimizing yield capacity, including cultivation in a protected environment, mulching and low tunneling. To expand the use of these techniques, synthetic petroleum-based polymers are employed due to their low cost, easy processing, and lightness. However, they take a long time to degrade, and, since they are discarded at the end of each cycle of cultivation, end up accumulating in the environment causing irreversible damage.

RESULTS

The use of biodegradable films, made of starch and/or a protein source such as gelatin, has been studied as a promising alternative. Both stand out because of their film-forming ability, and because they come from abundant sources and are biodegradable.

CONCLUSION

This study aimed to review the current findings on starch and gelatin films that can be used as alternatives to conventional plastics in agricultural crops. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Development and characterization of biodegradable films from whey protein concentrate, psyllium husk and oxidized, crosslinked, dual-modified lotus rhizome starch composite

BACKGROUND

The combined effect of variously chemically modified lotus rhizome starch, whey protein concentrate, psyllium husk and glycerol was evaluated on developed biodegradable films.

RESULTS

Dual-modified lotus rhizome starch composite films presented minimum solubility and water vapor permeability and maximum tensile strength among native and modified starch composite films. Elongation at break of dual-modified starch composite films (FLCOS₁ , FLCOS₂ ) was found to be a maximum, whereas a decrease was observed for FLCOS₃ . Oxidized lotus rhizome starch composite films were the most transparent among native and modified starch composite films, whereas crosslinked lotus rhizome starch composite films were the least transparent. Scanning electron microscopy indicated a homogeneous compact surface of oxidized starch composite films, whereas troughs were observed in crosslinked and dual-modified starch composite films. Using whey protein concentrate, psyllium husk and glycerol without any phase separation, smoother films and with compact microstructures were produced. Fourier transform infrared analysis revealed additional peaks for modified starch films, confirming greater interaction among starch and film-forming components, whereas amorphous structure was indicated from X-ray diffraction results of modified starch composite films.

CONCLUSIONS

Owing to various properties of modified starches, these films find application in edible contact packages and can better be used for products where higher structural integrity and lower water vapor transmission are needed. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Kithul palm (Caryota urens) as a new source of starch: Effect of single, dual chemical modifications and annealing on the physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of physical and chemical modifications on the physicochemical and in vitro digestibility of kithul starch. Starch isolated from kithul flour (Caryota urens) was subjected to physical and chemical modifications. The starch modification was verified by the presence of functional groups using Fourier transform Infrared spectral analysis (FT-IR). X-ray Diffraction (XRD) pattern revealed that the kithul starch is A- type and the modifications did not change the crystalline pattern. However, the relative crystallinity showed significant changes. Chemical modifications increased the swelling and solubility. Pasting and thermal parameters of all modified starches showed significant changes as compared to native starch (NS). Acetylated oxidised starch (AOS) showed highest paste viscosities. Higher enthalpy of gelatinization (∆H_gel) and paste viscosity attributed to perfection and ordering of amorphous regions in annealed starch (ANS). All modifications significantly increased the resistant starch (RS) content than native starch (NS), which indicates its lower digestibility. The current study showed the single, dual chemical modifications and annealing, effectively modified the physicochemical and in vitro digestibility of kithul starch.

Preparation and Characterization of Potato Starch Film with Various Size of Nano-SiO₂

The various sizes (15, 30, 80, and 100 nm) of nano-SiO₂/potato starch films were synthesized and characterized. The gas permeability, antibacterial properties, and mechanical properties of the films were evaluated to their potential for application as food packaging materials. Results indicated that the 100 nm nano-SiO₂ was well dispersed in the starch matrix, which induced an active group on the surface of 100 nm nano-SiO₂ adequately combined with starch macromolecule. The water resistance and mechanical properties of the films were improved with the addition of nano-SiO₂. Notably, resistance to ultraviolet and thermal aging was also enhanced. The nano-SiO₂/potato starch films were more efficient against Escherichia coli (E. coli) than Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Remarkable preservation properties of the films packaging the white mushrooms were obtained, with those of the 100 nm films considered superior. This study can significantly guide the rational choice of the nano-SiO₂ size to meet the packaging requirements of various agricultural products.

Impact of acid hydrolysis and esterification process in rice and potato starch properties

The modification of the starches aims to change the properties of these polymers making them more suitable for specific applications. Therefore, the objective of this study was to modify potato and rice starch using the hydrolysis process with hydrochloric acid (HCl) and the esterification process with citric acid (CA), both acids at different concentrations and reaction time. To verify if the modifications were effective, the physicochemical changes (solubility, swelling power, gel strength and amylose content), thermal, morphological and pasting properties were evaluated. The applied modifications reduced the swelling power, solubility and amylose content of starches. The strength of the gel was reduced with the modifications for the rice starch and increased for the potato starch. Regarding the pasting properties, modified starch RS1 (modified rice starch using 0.1 M HCl) and PS3 (modified potato starch using 2% CA) showed a tendency to reduce retrogradation. Structurally, X-ray evaluation indicated reduced crystallinity. Thermal analyses showed that gelatinization temperatures were increased for all treatments, while gelatinization enthalpies were reduced indicating greater thermal stability of the modified starches. Therefore, modified starches have distinct characteristics that can be used for specific processes that requiring starches with different properties from the conventional ones.