Obtención de bioplásticos a partir del almidón de triticale y de cascarilla de arroz para su aplicación como empaque de alimentos

Abstract

The aim of the research was to obtain bioplastics from triticale starch and rice husks for the application as food packaging. It began with the extraction of starch by means of wet method, obtaining a yield of 50.73% for triticale and 5.22% for rice husk. The physicochemical characterization of the starch was carried out followed by the formulation process of the bioplastics based on the 2k factorial design, which resulted in four treatments each with four repetitions. For each treatment, the concentration of starch and glycerin was varied but the amount of water and acetic acid was constant. Through the physicochemical and mechanical trials, the optimal formulation was determined, this was the FM1 sheet. For the elaboration of this biofilm, 2.80 g of starch, 0.80 mL of glycerin, 2.00 mL of acetic acid, and 30.00 mL of distilled water were combined. The biodegradability of the bioplastics was carried out in an aqueous medium and underground, based on the European Standard (EN) 13432, it was determined that the degradation in an aqueous medium was more efficient, since the sheets degraded in 33 days. The microbiological analysis reported that the bioplastic is free of pathogenic microorganisms. In addition, the useful lifetime of the grapes (Vitis vinifera) packed with the biopolymer obtained and stored at room temperature and refrigeration (4°C) was determined. It is concluded that the bioplastic fulfills functions similar to those of the plastic based on petroleum, therefore, the biofilm is useful for food packaging. It is recommended to use raw materials with high amylose content in order to obtain bioplastics with better tensile properties.