No abstract

Chia seeds are a promising raw material for the development of biodegradable and edible polymers due to their composition and properties. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of drying process of chia mucilage (oven and freeze‐drying) and the incorporation of chia oil in films for food packaging. The films were formed by casting using chia mucilage and glycerol. The polymers developed were evaluated by physicochemical properties, microstructure, thermal properties, and biodegradation. The drying process of mucilage and oil incorporation in films affected mainly mechanical and color properties. Freeze‐dried mucilage resulted in superior mechanical performance. Differences were caused by the effect of drying process in the molecular structure of chia mucilage and the incorporation of oil among the polymer chains. Chia mucilage films were completely soluble in water and biodegraded in a short time in soil. These films are promising biodegradable polymers for the development of eco‐friendly food packaging and edible sachets for small pre‐measured portions, preventing environment pollution and facilitating product consumption.

No abstract

The chemical modification of rice flour by phosphorylation is an alternative to improve the technological quality of bakery products. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of phosphorylation process of rice flour on technological properties (specific volume, crumb and crust colour) of gluten‐free breads and the hardening of these breads during two storage temperatures (21 °C and −24 °C). Breads were made with native rice flour, with phosphorylated rice flour and with wheat flour, used as control. The phosphorylation causes significant reduction in the synaeresis of pastes and in retrogradation tendency of rice flours, varying from 258.7 cP (native rice flour) to 122 cP (phosphorylated rice flour). The breads prepared with phosphorylated rice flour showed reduction in the hardness in both storage temperatures studied and effect on rice bread volume, crumb appearance and colour, demonstrating the possibility of use of the phosphorylated rice flour in gluten‐free breads.

Alternative materials to replace the synthetic plastics are being developed using agro-based sources, but despite their promising results, these materials still need to have their performance improved to be used in packaging. Blending different molecules can combine the properties of each polymer resulting in the overall perfor