Starch-Based Foam Packaging Developed from a By-Product of Potato Industrialization (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Abstract

The use of petroleum-based packaging and its disposal in the environment poses several environmental problems, driving research into the development of biopolymers as substitutes for conventional polymers. Therefore, this study used the by-product of potato industrialization as the main raw material, xanthan gum as a plasticizer, and natural oat fiber as reinforcement to develop a biodegradable foam through thermo-pressing. The morphology, mechanical properties, and biodegradability of the final product were investigated. The water absorption and solubility index were highest in the sample with 20% plasticizer and 20% fiber. The water activity was not affected by variations in additives. The samples with the highest concentration of additives had the highest mechanical tensile strength, but there was a limit to these levels for foam resistance. The most accentuated visual effect was the yellow color. It is believed that hydrolysis was the main foam degradation mechanism, which took between 14 and 20 days for total decomposition. The combination of a by-product from potato industrialization with xanthan gum and natural oat fiber made it possible to produce a promising substitute for synthetic polymers, providing an environmentally friendly solution for both the use of agro-industrial by-products and reducing the volume of petroleum-based packaging waste.

Physical and Enzymatic Hydrolysis Modifications of Potato Starch Granules

“…This is the first time that this type of starch morphology has been reported in the literature. Such a structure can be of great interest to the synthesis of biodegradable/ecofriendly cushioned packaging materials, medical tissue engineering applications, and the encapsulation/release of substances [ 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ].…”

Valorization of Starch to Biobased Materials: A Review

“…The majority of these studies looked at the possibility of manufacturing polyurethane foams from agricultural waste, particularly those that had been extracted and contained starches and oil proteins. When comparing biodegradable packaging to synthetic materials in terms of cost, biodegradable packaging created from bioproducts is not always the most cost-effective option in the short term [ 224 ]. As a result, agricultural or industrial by-products may be used to create novel packaging materials.…”

“…Biofoams manufactured from starches and polyesters such as polylactic acids (PLAs) offer immense industrial promise, and starch foams have the potential to replace polystyrene-based food trays [ 225 ]. Potato [ 224 ], wheat gluten [ 226 ], coconut fibers and sugar bagasse [ 227 ], canola [ 228 ], and rice husks [ 229 ] have all been examined for biofoam production. However, because raw starch has limited applications, particularly in areas where strength is critical, the introduction of mechanically improving components encourages the use of starch in a biofoam.…”

Tailoring mechanical properties and degradation rate of maxillofacial implant based on sago starch/polylactid acid blend

“…A high amylose content tends to form a crystalline polymer, which produces stronger mechanical properties than amorphous amylopectin [ 37 , 38 ]. Therefore, being an abundant natural resource with high compatibility with human tissues makes sago starch a strong candidate for producing the desired blending composition [ 39 , 40 ].…”