Electrospun fibers from blends of pea (Pisum sativum) protein and pullulan

Pea protein isolate (PPI) was evaluated to produce food grade fibers through the electrospinning technique. The presence of pullulan (PUL) and Tween 80 (T) on the spinnability, morphology, physicochemical and mechanical properties were addressed. The presence of PUL in the polymeric aqueous solutions of PPI resulted in decreasing of electrical conductivity and increasing of the viscosity and surface tension. Electrospun mats formed by fiber structures were obtained with PPI:PUL 20:80 and 50:50 containing 20 wt % of Tween 80 (50:50T20) with diameters of 170 and 149 nm, respectively. FTIR data indicated that interactions were present between the hydroxyl groups of pullulan and the amino groups of pea protein and that the presence of Tween 80 favored these interactions. The mechanical properties of the electrospun mats showed that the increase of pullulan in blend increased Young's modulus, maximum stress and strain at rupture. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.