Scientific Publications
Characterization of Citrus pectin edible films containing transglutaminase-modified phaseolin
Carbohydrate Polymers, 106, 200-208
tThe growing social and economic consequences of pollution derived from plastics are focusing attentionon the need to produce novel bioprocesses for enhancing food shelf-life. As a consequence, in recentyears the use of edible films for food packaging is generating a huge scientific interest. In this workwe report the production of an edible hydrocolloid film made by using Citrus pectin and the proteinphaseolin crosslinked by microbial transglutaminase, an enzyme able to covalently modify proteins byformation of isopeptide bonds between glutamine and lysine residues. The films were characterized andtheir morphology was evaluated by both atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.Mechanical properties and barrier properties to CO2, O2and water vapor have demonstrated that thesefilms possess technological features comparable to those possessed by commercial plastics. It is worthnoting that these characteristics are maintained even following storage of the films at 4◦C or −20◦C,suggesting that our bioplastics can be tailored to protect food at low temperature. Moreover, gastricand duodenal digestion studies conducted under the same conditions found in the human digestionsystem have demonstrated that transglutaminase-containing films are regularly digested encouragingan application of the proposed materials as food coatings.
Carbohydrate Polymers, 106, 200-208
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