Polysaccharide Based Packaging Film for Fresh Cut Produce

Abstract

In this thesis, agro industrial wastes such as bracts and leaves of artichoke were used to develop biodegradable packaging materials for fresh-cut artichokes. As flim forming materials; cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and wax fractions were extracted by using mild alkaline treatment applied to artichoke wastes. Carboxy methyl cellulose was chemically synthesized from extracted cellulose fiber. A mechanical process (Masuko Supermasscolloider, at-100 um grind size via 5 times feeding) with minimum environmental impact was selected to obtain cellulose micro fibrils with micro sized dimensions (50-200 um in length and 10-30 um in width).These fractions used as polysaccharide sources in film forming solutions. Different combinations of these polysaccharide based film materials were optimized using General Factorial Design and four film combinations were selected among the films produced.elected films were MFC and CMC based having good elasticity (16 % strain), tensile strength and low gas permeability properties (150mlO2/m2.day).Different concentrations of additives such as wax, stearic acid, chitosan were used with the glycerol addition of plasticizer. SEM analyses of selected films showed films showed films having smooth surface and dense structure by looking their cross sectional area. Thermal analyses proved sealabilitiy of films obtained by extracted fractions from artichoke at 200-250 oC temperature intervals. But, presence of MFC in films hindered the heat sealing ability. Therefore, MFC and CMC based films successfully showed optimal properties when they were combined with glycerol, stearic acid and wax.