Development of Protein‐Based High‐Oxygen Barrier Films Using an Industrial Manufacturing Facility

Abstract

In this study, protein-based high-oxygen barrier multilayer films were manufactured at a pilot plant scale by a roll-to-roll coating process and an adhesive lamination process. Also, their characteristics were examined to evaluate their industrial feasibility. Oxygen transmission rates (OTRs) of the protein-based films (polyethylene terephthalate [PET]/pea protein isolate [PPI]/nylon/cast polypropylene [CPP], PET/whey protein isolate [WPI]/CPP, PET/WPI/nylon/CPP, and PET/PPI/nylon/low-density polyethylene [LDPE]) were significantly lower than OTR of the PET/nylon/CPP film without a protein-coating layer and that of the commercial high-barrier multilayer film copolymer (PET/aluminum/CPP). In addition, water vapor transmission rates of the films containing protein layer were significantly lower than that of the commercial high-barrier film containing ethylene vinyl alcohol [nylon/nylon/EVOH/easy peel layer [EPL]). Among the tested polymers, the PET/WPI/nylon/LDPE film showed the highest heat-sealing ability, tensile strength, and elastic modulus. Moreover, transparency and haze of the PET/WPI/nylon/CPP film were similar to the film without WPI coating. Taken together, our results indicate that the protein-based coating films showing highoxygen and high-water barrier properties can be manufactured using industrial facilities and could replace commercial multilayer films based on synthetic materials.Practical Application: Oxygen barrier property is an important feature in food packaging materials. Therefore, proteincoated high-oxygen barrier multilayer films were manufactured at a pilot scale to verify the possibility of their mass production. Specifically, high-oxygen and high-moisture barrier coating was produced by pea and whey proteins. Finally, the protein-based multilayer films made by an industrial facility were confirmed to be able to replace current commercial films containing synthetic barrier materials.

Bio-Based Packaging: Materials, Modifications, Industrial Applications and Sustainability

“…This leads to the protein film varying in structure based on the source of protein, providing different oxygen permeabilities. Films that are composed of plant protein isolates have excellent oxygen barrier properties due to their polar nature and crosslinked polymer network; however, the water vapor barrier is low [ 16 , 22 ]. Chang et al showed that whey or pea protein isolate film coatings have lower oxygen permeability compared to multilayers containing nylon as the oxygen barrier: The multilayer PET/WPI/cast polypropylene package has 90 times lower oxygen permeability compared to the PET/nylon/cast polypropylene control multilayer.…”

“…Chang et al showed that whey or pea protein isolate film coatings have lower oxygen permeability compared to multilayers containing nylon as the oxygen barrier: The multilayer PET/WPI/cast polypropylene package has 90 times lower oxygen permeability compared to the PET/nylon/cast polypropylene control multilayer. The PET/pea protein isolate/nylon/cast polypropylene CPP multilayer showed nearly 1000 times better oxygen permeability [ 22 ].…”

“…Developments have occurred in chemical modification of proteins especially by chemical grafting using fatty acids to improve the water vapor barrier properties [ 21 ]. Besides whey proteins, proteins from soy and peas [ 22 ] as well as polysaccharides such as cellulose and starch [ 23 ] have been analyzed regarding their packaging film properties.…”

Characterization and Preservation Performance of Multilayer Film with Insect Repellent and Antimicrobial Activities for Sliced Wheat Bread Packaging

“…Accordingly, the polymer strands are banded together by relatively weak intermolecular attractions, which need much less strength to break than MD film (Phua, Chow, & Mohd Ishak, 2011). Several previous researchers (Battisti et al, 2017;Chang et al, 2019;Sun, Lu, Qiu, & Tang, 2017) have also documented the lower mechanical strength of the TD in the developed film than the strength of the MD.…”

Development of whey protein isolate/chitosan/microcrystalline cellulose‐based bilayer films using surface‐pretreated polyethylene terephthalate substrate

“…CD treatment can increase polymer surface energy by surface oxidation and formation of polar functional groups including phenolic hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carboxyl (O'Hare et al, 2002). The organic and inorganic materials, such as cast polypropylene (Chang et al, 2019), linear low-density polyethylene (LDPE), nylon (Joo et al, 2018), phosphate glass (Lin, Tyler, Sun, Shi, & Schiraldi, 2017), SiO x (Wang et al, 2014), SiO x N y (Yonekura, Fujikawa, & Murakami, 2010), and AlO x (Struller, Kelly, & Copeland, 2014), coated on plastic materials have been reported. However, there is no study concerning the combination of WPI/CS/MCCbased coating and surface pretreatment including CD and UGD to improve the barrier properties of PET.…”