Mechanical and permeability properties of sodium caseinate and chitosan films

M. PEREDA; N. E. MARCOVICH; M. I. ARANGUREN

Viña del Mar, Chile,

Simposio; ARCHIPOL- Simposio Argentino-Chileno de Polimeros; 2007

ARCHIPOL

INTRODUCTIONEdible films from renewable natural products can extend the food shelf- life, thus improving the quality of food [1,2]. Caseinate, obtained by acid precipitation of casein, easily forms aqueous solutions due to their random- coil nature and ability to form extensive intermolecular hydrogen bonds [3]. Caseinate derived edible film wraps may be able to partially replace some conventional synthetic packaging materials used to preserve and protect foods due to their renewable and biodegradable nature [1,2]. On the other hand, chitosan is available from waste products of the shellfish industry [4]. Its importance resides in its antimicrobial properties in conjunction with its cationicity and its film-forming properties [5]. Chitosan has been reported to be biodegradable, non- toxic, biocompatible and bioadhesive [6].The objective of this work is to manufacture and characterize edible films made from sodium caseinate and chitosan. In order to use the films as food packaging, it is necessary to have an understanding of the permeability characteristics, as well as their mechanical properties. The effect of different glycerol concentration on WVP measurements and mechanical properties was studied.