Researchers from India and Russia have created edible food films for packaging fruits, vegetables, poultry, meat, and seafood.
These films are made up of natural ingredients, and as such are safe for health and the environment. In addition, these films are water-soluble and dissolve by almost 90% over 24 hours. A description of their research and the results of their experiments are published in the Journal of Food Engineering.
Using such films would help to reduce the problem of microplastics, micrometre-scale fragments of plastic which have been detected in human stools as well as inhaled through the lungs.Chemicals such BPAs, phthalates and flame retardants, as well as heavy metals included in plastics are of concern to human health. The increased surface area/volume ratio of microplastics in combination with their hydrophobicity, results in a high affinity with a broad range of hydrophobic and persistent organic pollutants, antibiotics, and heavy metals that could be introduced into the human body through the uptake of microplastics.
“We have created three types of food films based on the well-known naturally occurring seaweed biopolymer sodium alginate. Its molecules have film-forming properties. Sodium alginate is an auspicious carbohydrate macromolecule that has the potential film-forming properties upon hydrolysis and abundantly existed in cell walls as a mixture of various salts. The greatest advantage of sodium alginate is that it performs as liquid-gel in an aqueous medium.”
Rammohan Aluru, Study Co-Author and Senior Researcher of Organic Synthesis Laboratory, Ural Federal University
The researchers cross-linked alginate molecules with a natural antioxidant ferulic acid, resulting in a strong and homogeneous film that is more rigid and prolongs the life of the products. However, being able to produce edible, naturally sourced films also has other benefits.
“Food stays fresh longer due to the antioxidant components that slow down the oxidation processes,” said Grigory Zyryanov, professor of the Department of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry at Ural Federal University. “In addition, we can add to the films natural antiviral agents that will also extend the shelf life of food. Garlic, turmeric, and ginger contain compounds that may prevent the spread of the viruses.”
No special equipment for the production of films is required, the authors claim, and can be scaled up to an industrial scale by manufacturers of food products and films.
“It can also be produced at a polymer production plant. The only condition is that it must meet the standards that apply to food production. And if an inexhaustible source of algae the ocean is nearby it will be quite simple to create such films,” said Prof Zyryanov.
Source: News-Medical.Net
Journal information: Yerramathia, B. B., et al. (2021) Structural studies and bioactivity of sodium alginate edible films fabricated through ferulic acid crosslinking mechanism. Journal of Food Engineering. doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2021.110566.
