Fabrication of an eco-friendly antioxidant biocomposite: Zedo gum/sodium caseinate film by incorporating microalgae (Spirulina platensis)

Developments in the field of biodegradable packaging have led to interests in application of new natural polymers, due to their lower environmental hazards. This study was undertaken to design edible films based on Zedo gum/sodium caseinate (ZG/NaCs) with microalgae (Spirulina platensis) as an antioxidant compound. A central composite design was used to assess structural, physicochemical, barrier, and mechanical parameters of potential antioxidative edible films. Mixture of different ratios of NaCs (2%-6%), ZG (0%-1%), and microalgal biomass (0%-0.5%) was applied to fabricate samples. Films containing higher concentration of microalgae (0.5%) and ZG represented pronounced opacity and antioxidative characteristics. Lower amounts of microalgae by increasing NaCs amount, enhanced elasticity of samples. NaCs-based films were thicker and more transparent. Fourier transform infrared spectra analysis confirmed combination of microalgae and ZG in NaCs mixture. Taken together, this study suggests a new biocomposite colored formulation, which had satisfactory characteristics for a novel edible film packaging material. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46024.