Heat sealable regenerated cellulose films enabled by zein coating for sustainable food packaging
The development of green packaging materials is requested due to the growing concerns about plastic waste. As the most abundant natural polymer on earth, cellulose can be dissolved and regenerated to make transparent films. However, cellulose is not a thermoplastic, so cellulose films are usually se...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Composites Part C: Open Access |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666682023000464 |
| _version_ | 1797389420682280960 |
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| author | Yaqi Chu Cassandra Popovich Yixiang Wang |
| author_facet | Yaqi Chu Cassandra Popovich Yixiang Wang |
| author_sort | Yaqi Chu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The development of green packaging materials is requested due to the growing concerns about plastic waste. As the most abundant natural polymer on earth, cellulose can be dissolved and regenerated to make transparent films. However, cellulose is not a thermoplastic, so cellulose films are usually sealed by an adhesive for packaging applications. Herein, this study aimed to endow regenerated cellulose (RC) films with heat sealability by coating a layer of zein, and the mechanical and barrier properties of the composite cellulose/zein films were characterized. The results revealed that, with a thin zein coating, all the composite films were able to be sealed by a tabletop impulse sealer without the need for high temperature or high pressure and showed larger tensile strain and better water vapor and oxygen barrier properties compared to the RC films. Moreover, it was worth noting that the blueberries packed in the heat-sealed cellulose/zein bags were protected from oxidation and spoilage during a 12-day storage period and were comparable to the ones packed by Ziploc®. Thus, this work demonstrates a facile way to fabricate cellulose-based packaging materials that are heat sealable and have potential applications in sustainable food packaging. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T22:55:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-843b020c1f3f4517adc2be185120640d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-6820 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T22:55:36Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Composites Part C: Open Access |
| spelling | doaj.art-843b020c1f3f4517adc2be185120640d2023-12-16T06:09:51ZengElsevierComposites Part C: Open Access2666-68202023-10-0112100390Heat sealable regenerated cellulose films enabled by zein coating for sustainable food packagingYaqi Chu0Cassandra Popovich1Yixiang Wang2Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9×3V9, CanadaDepartment of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9×3V9, CanadaCorresponding author.; Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9×3V9, CanadaThe development of green packaging materials is requested due to the growing concerns about plastic waste. As the most abundant natural polymer on earth, cellulose can be dissolved and regenerated to make transparent films. However, cellulose is not a thermoplastic, so cellulose films are usually sealed by an adhesive for packaging applications. Herein, this study aimed to endow regenerated cellulose (RC) films with heat sealability by coating a layer of zein, and the mechanical and barrier properties of the composite cellulose/zein films were characterized. The results revealed that, with a thin zein coating, all the composite films were able to be sealed by a tabletop impulse sealer without the need for high temperature or high pressure and showed larger tensile strain and better water vapor and oxygen barrier properties compared to the RC films. Moreover, it was worth noting that the blueberries packed in the heat-sealed cellulose/zein bags were protected from oxidation and spoilage during a 12-day storage period and were comparable to the ones packed by Ziploc®. Thus, this work demonstrates a facile way to fabricate cellulose-based packaging materials that are heat sealable and have potential applications in sustainable food packaging.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666682023000464Regenerated celluloseZeinHeat sealableBarrier propertiesFood packaging |
| spellingShingle | Yaqi Chu Cassandra Popovich Yixiang Wang Heat sealable regenerated cellulose films enabled by zein coating for sustainable food packaging Composites Part C: Open Access Regenerated cellulose Zein Heat sealable Barrier properties Food packaging |
| title | Heat sealable regenerated cellulose films enabled by zein coating for sustainable food packaging |
| title_full | Heat sealable regenerated cellulose films enabled by zein coating for sustainable food packaging |
| title_fullStr | Heat sealable regenerated cellulose films enabled by zein coating for sustainable food packaging |
| title_full_unstemmed | Heat sealable regenerated cellulose films enabled by zein coating for sustainable food packaging |
| title_short | Heat sealable regenerated cellulose films enabled by zein coating for sustainable food packaging |
| title_sort | heat sealable regenerated cellulose films enabled by zein coating for sustainable food packaging |
| topic | Regenerated cellulose Zein Heat sealable Barrier properties Food packaging |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666682023000464 |
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