Gelatin/Whey Protein- Potato Flour Bioplastics: Fabrication and Evaluation

This research utilized three animal proteins which are whey protein isolate (Wh) and two types of gelatin, including bovine gelatin (BG) and chicken gelatin (CG) from bovine shin bones and chicken feet respectively, to improve the mechanical properties of whole potato flour bioplastics. The goal is the development and characterization of eco-friendly bioplastic sheets by employing the compression molding method. The tensile, DMTA, FTIR and TGA characteristics of the blending bioplastics were compared with bioplastic made from whole potato flour as control. Results showed that protein treatments greatly enhanced the tensile strength (at least 2 times), tan delta (up to twice) and elongation at break (3 to 11 times). Furthermore, the thermal stability of studied bioplastics does not differ up to 200 degrees C. Among the blending bioplastics, the BG bioplastic had the highest tensile strength (5.67 MPa) and CG bioplastic had the highest elongation at break (20.50%). Meanwhile, the investigation of functional groups using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed better molecular interactions in the blending bioplastics. This research shows the feasibility of producing animal protein-potato flour biodegradable edible bioplastic materials with different properties and, consequently, different applications, which contribute to adding a high value to different byproducts from the livestock/poultry industries.