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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Plant Polymer Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #335233
Research Project: Conversion of Polysaccharides and Other Bio-based Materials to High-Value, Commercial Products

Location: Plant Polymer Research

Title: Cashew gum and gelatin blend for food packaging application

Author
item OLIVEIRA, M - Embrapa
item FURTADO, ROSELAYNE - Embrapa
item BASTOS, M - Embrapa
item BENEVIDES, S - Embrapa
item MUNIZ, C - Embrapa
item Biswas, Atanu
item Cheng, Huai

Submitted to: Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/20/2016
Publication Date: 10/27/2016
Citation: Oliveira, M.A., Furtado, R.F., Bastos, M., Benevides, S.D., Muniz, C.R., Biswas, A., Cheng, H.N. 2016. Cashew gum and gelatin blend for food packaging application. Proceedings of the 25th Food Science and Technology Brazilian Congress (CBCTA) and the 10th CIGR Section IV International Technical Symposium, October 24-27, 2016, Gramado/RS, Brazil.

Interpretive Summary: Food packaging is essential for product containment, protection, preservation, and convenience. Plastic packaging is becoming less popular because of the disposal problem; it is desirable to use agro-based materials instead. For the first time we have developed cashew gum and gelatin film blends which showed better characteristics than each individual polymer film alone. The new material which is safe and biodegradable will provide food packaging manufacturers with a viable new option for the future.

Technical Abstract: Cashew gum (CG) and gelatin (G) films were developed using the casting method and response surface methodology. The objective was produce packaging films from CG/G blends that exhibit effective barrier properties. A study of zeta potential versus pH was first carried out to determine the isoelectric point of the 1:1 CG/G solution. The films with different CG/G ratios were then examined for permeability to water vapor (WVP), thickness, solubility,mechanical properties and surface morphology (via scanning electron microscopy, SEM). The blend films were shown to have better properties than the film from each polymer separately. The best result was obtained for the film blend with 5:2.5 CG/G (w/w).