Blend of Cassava Starch and Low Density Poly Ethylene Biodegradable Polymer Synthesis and its Interactive study with Foods

Abstract

As an alternative to conventional plastics, a study on Blend of Cassava Starch and newlineLow-Density Polyethylene Biodegradable Polymer: Synthesis and its Interactive study with newlineFoods was conducted. Blown film extrusion method was used incorporating Cassava Starch, newlineLDPE, Glycerol, Talc powder and Urea. Physical properties like Moisture Content, newlineTransparency, Water Absorption Capacity, Moisture Permeability and pH of the biodegradable newlinefilm were studied. Mechanical properties like Tensile Strength, Elongation at Break and Film newlineThickness along with Biodegradation properties in Soil Burial Test were also evaluated. newlineMigration study of constituents from film into food and physico- chemical properties of newlinefood product packed in biodegradable film during storage were evaluated. Biscuit, Potato Chips, newlineTomato Ketchup and Grape Jelly were used as food products, using 3% aqueous acetic acid newline(Simulant B) and Heptane (Simulant D). The biodegradable films were made in four different newlineproportions (T0, T1, T2, T3, and T4) with varying composition of Cassava Starch and LDPE. T0 newlinewith 100% LDPE, T1 with 95% LDPE and 5% Cassava starch whereas T2 with 90% LDPE and newline10% Cassava starch, T3 with 85% LDPE and 15% Cassava starch and T4 with 80% LDPE and newline20% Cassava starch was developed. These films had a moisture content ranging from 0.02- newline4.03%, Transparency from 0.55 to 2.07 %, Water Absorption Capacity from 0.007 to 0.067 % newlineand Moisture Permeability from 0.59 to 14.08 %. Tensile Strength ranging from 6.68 - 8.42 newlineMPa, Elongation at Break ranged from 340-625% and Film Thickness from 0.17 to 0.80 mm newlinewere observed. Biodegradation study showed 18.6% degradation in 6 months. newlineOverall migration values of film when packed with biscuit were found to be in the range newlineof 0.29- 0.43 mg/dm2 newlineand of chips were 0.28-0.42 mg/dm2 newline. The moisture content of Biscuit and newlineChips were 1.14-1.8%, 1.25-1.77% respectively, Acid value of biscuit and chips were 1.59- newline2.47%, 1.21-1.99%, Peroxide value of biscuit and chips were 3.91-5.70 mg/g, 3.93-5.47 mg/g.