Abstract:

In this study, edible films composed of high-amylose corn starch (HACS) and chitosan (CS) as basic materials were developed by casting the film solution containing glycerol as a plasticizer and methylcellulose (MC) as an enhancer on leveled trays. The effects of HACS-to-chitosan ratio and amounts of glycerol and methylcellulose (MC) on the tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (E), water vapor permeability (WVP), and color of the edible composite films were investigated. The results showed that higher amounts of chitosan and glycerol both resulted in a decrease in TS but a remarkable increase in E and WVP a color change of the edible films into yellow. Added MC could improve their mechanical properties and WVP. With increasing MC amount, the TS and E increased gradually, while the WVP decreased, and the color had no obvious change.

Key words: edible film, high-amylose corn starch, chitosan, glycerol, methylcellulose, properties