Development and characterization of edible films made from four dietary fibers -pectin, guar gum, locust bean gum, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose

Food needing to be easier to make with less processing time is becoming prevalent due to increasingly fast-paced lifestyles becoming the norm. This makes edible film packaging that can bring both convenience and health benefits to consumers and no pollution to the environment a need for the market. This research aims to determine the effect of polymer concentration of 4 dietary fibers, e.g., guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and glycerol concentration to the mechanical properties and dissolution/ partial dissolution time of their films and the viscosity of their solution. Specifically, it investigates if the higher glycerol and polymer concentration leads to the better mechanical properties and shorter dissolution/ partial dissolution time of the films and higher viscosity of polymer solutions. In this context, partial dissolution time is defined as the time it takes for polymer films to break down to pieces smaller than 2 mm × 2 mm. In this study, I tested the film thickness, mechanical properties e.g., tensile strength and elongation at break, moisture content, partial dissolution/dissolution time, water vapor permeability, color of films, and viscosity of solutions of different concentrations of each polymer and different concentrations of glycerol. I also analyzed and compared the test results of guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose comprehensively. The results showed that the assumption was proved correct for guar gum, locust bean gum and pectin solutions and films, but hydroxypropyl methylcellulose showed its special properties because of its thermo-gelatinous characteristics and structure. My study indicates that higher polymer concentration and glycerol concentration of solution leads to better mechanical properties, longer dissolution/ partial dissolution time and higher viscosity for some but not all polymers, but the data of all the test results can be used to guide the production and application of edible film packages made from guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose for the potential health benefits and convenience for consumers.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Food Science & Human Nutrition

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Wang, Shengya

Contributors dc:contributor

• Wang, Yi-Cheng
• Lee, Youngsoo
• Miller, Michael J

• Edible films

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2021 Shengya Wang

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/113215

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/113215