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Synthetic plastic is difficult to disintegrate quickly, making it an environmental issue. The alternative solution is to produce bioplastics based on banana peel starch using polyvinyl alcohol as a matrix and cellulose fiber from oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) as reinforcement. This study aims to analyze the rate ofbiodegradation and mechanical properties ofbioplastics based on banana peel starch and PVA with the addition of OPFB fiber reinforcement with cellulose fiber variations of 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%. Based on the study's results, the percentage of degradation with the fastest treatment was without the addition of cellulose fiber variations, with an average weight loss percentage of 31.2% on day 3, 36.3% on day 6, and 44.9% on day 9. The addition of OPEFB cellulose fiber causes the biodegradation rate to be slower because OPEFB cellulose is hydrophobic. In testing the mechanical properties, the highest tensile strength was the addition of 8% cellulose fiber with a tensile strength of 3.6 MPa, a strain at break of 22%, and a modulus of elasticity with a percentage value of 16.1 MPa. The mechanical property values obtained indicated that OPEFB cellulose fiber could improve the mechanical properties of the biocomposite. This result informs that the OPEFB fiber-reinforced banana peel starch/polyvinyl alcohol hybrid biocomposites could have the potential for food packaging materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastics-based food packaging is increasingly used recently especially, for fresh products such as fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, the plastic packaging for those products made from fossil fuel-based such as PP, PE, and PVC is not biodegradable and only counters for water resistance. This research aims to isolate the LCNF from sugarcane leaves and to evaluate the effect of LCNF on plasticized agar bioplastics. Lignin-containing nanocellulose (LCNF) from sugarcane leaves which has a lignin content of about 4.12% and cellulose of about 69.65% used as an active agent for agar-based bioplastics. LCNF was produced using an ultrafine masuko grinder with the stone gap in-30,-50,-70, and-10 mm with 5 cycles for each gap. Some LCNF in about 5% up to 20% was blended in plasticized agar solution at 90 ˚C for about an hour then cast in 20 x 20 cm molding. The bioplastics were conditioned at room temperature for 24 h and then oven-dried at 50 ˚C for another 24 h. The bioplastics of agar-LCNF with a thickness of about 0.1 mm have been produced. The novel finding of this study is LCNF incorporated with residual silica dioxide of sugarcane leaves. The addition of LCNF up to 15-20% improves water uptake ratio by about 54%, water solubility by about 5%, and water vapor penetration rate by about 73.81% than plasticized agar. The agar-LCNF bioplastic remains transparent with less UV blocking ability. The mechanical properties especially elongation at break enhance about 22% more than plasticized agar. The thermal stability of agar-LCNF bioplastic improves by about 3.7% for Tonset and 5,1% for Tmax. The agar-LCNF bioplastic is remarkably active on barrier ability which has potential as fresh food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is based on the problem of microplastics found in water, where plastic packaging is now widely used in food and beverage packaging and raises social concerns about its health effects. The microplastics, small plastic particles with a size of 5 mm or less, found in the body can be toxic, cause hormonal imbalances, heart disease, infertility, and obesity. Research on methods for analyzing microplastics in water is still limited in Indonesia, this study identify and analyze the microplastic content in the drinking water and its saurce in Indonesia using raman spectroscopy method. The analysis of microplastics content was performed on various drinking water samples and their sources. The test included 7 water samples from different brands, water sources and different water bottle industries in Indonesia. Content analysis was performed in three stages, starting with the preparatory stage, the filtration process. The filtration process is performed using filter paper that matches the size of the sample to be inspected. In addition, various particles trapped in the filter paper were analyzed under a microscope to separate the microplastic particles. At last, a raman spectroscopy test was performed to determine the type of microplastics present in the contents of the water sample. Through the analysis and study of the content of various water samples carried out, the analyzed water content found various types of microplastics in the form of fragments, fibers, filaments, and films, most of which were PET (Polyethylene terephthalate). There are also found to be polypropylene and PVC (Polyvinyl chloride). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioplastics are materials processed from renewable natural resources and equipped with competitive properties, which aim to replace traditional oil-based plastics in sustainable food packaging. Since bioplastics are most often targeted to replace current alternatives in the same production processes and machines, their functionality in processing and above all in end use is vital for the change to take place smoothly. The aim of this study was to determine how process parameters, especially forming depth and moulding temperatures, affect the 3D-formability of plastic alternatives in thermoforming process. A bioplastic sample, Cellulose Acetate Propionate (CAP), selected according to the requirements of the end-use application and oil-based competitor, APET/EVOH/PE multilayer plastic, as a reference were tested in forming experiments. Sample materials were tested using an industrial grade Form-Fill-Seal (FFS) thermoforming line equipped with a custom-designed sheet-forming chamber. The final products, i.e. thermoformed tray packages, were evaluated by measuring their torsional stiffness and compression strength. Based on the results, the more than half thinner Bioplastic sample was found to have notably sufficient properties for the thermoforming process and the manufacture of the test package. From the point of view of processability and the functionality of the final product, both samples were found to be applicable, and the change of material type between them does not cause measures greater than fine-tuning of the thermoforming process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's era, the pollution due to plastic packaging is everywhere. The majority of the food packaging consists of laminates which is comprised of plastics, metals, paper and glass and which may end up in landfills and cause an environment risk. Since plastic takes 100 of years to break down. To reduce the utilization of plastic packaging, the edible and biodegradable food wrappers are used. Edible food packaging for premium products can be eaten or has the ability to biodegrade and it is eco-friendly. Edible food packaging controls food waste and does not require recycling. The millets are rich in nutrient and proteins and it is gluten-free. The millet is taken for the food packaging and can be used as an edible paper for premium products. The edible films with millets prolong the shelf life and value added nutritious edible paper can be developed. These premium products can be consumed directly without any harmful effects and it is biodegradable. This research paper summarizes about the production of edible paper for premium products from the source of millet and starch with value added nutritious in the form of edible and biodegradable products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable and non-toxic plastic as food packaging is used instead of conventional plastic. One of biodegradable and non-toxic plastic can be made from cassava starch and PVA. This paper reports the results of a study of the effect of glycerol content on the mechanical and water barrier properties of cassava starch/Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite films. The composite films of cassava starch/PVA were prepared with a solution casting method by the addition of glycerol or not. Glycerol concentrations in composite films varied from 10, 20 and 30% by weight of the polymer in the mixture. Mechanical and water barrier properties of cassava starch/PVA were analyzed. Film transparency was analyzed using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Changes in the functional groups on the FTIR spectra of composite films were also observed. Tensile strength decreased with increasing glycerol concentration on composite films but increased the elongation. The addition of glycerol decreased the water barrier properties by increasing the rate of transmission of water vapor from cassava starch/PVA composite films. Film transparency increased with the addition of 10% and 20% glycerol then decreases when the addition of 30% glycerol. Mechanical and water barrier properties of the composite films indicated that the addition of glycerol modified their properties significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible films are thin films intended to contain, store, and protect the food and beverages. As they are made from edible polymers, the consumption of edible films does not harm human or living things. They are easily biodegradable, producible from renewable sources, and safe for consumption. Hence, they have high potential in food packaging sector to overcome the problems associated with synthetic and biodegradable plastics. Hydrocolloids and lipids are widely investigated and found suitable for making the edible films. Among many sources of hydrocolloids, starch based films have advantages, such as highly transparent, highly flexible, having high degree of polymerization, easy processability, requiring less chemicals for production etc. However, literature showed that the edible films produced from native starch exhibit poor water resistance and low mechanical strength as compared to those of other hydrocolloids. Incorporation of nanomaterials with edible films is considered to be an effective method to improve the functional properties. In the present investigation, the influence of nanocellulose on the film properties of edible films is investigated. Nanocellulose was produced from rice husk through a three step chemical process: alkaline treatment, bleaching and acid hydrolysis. The edible films were prepared from native potato starch through solution casting method by varying nanocellulose content (0%, 5%, 10% & 15%). Water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), mechanical strength (tensile strength, Young's modulus and percentage of elongation) and film color were tested for the produced films. From the results, it was observed that the addition of nanocellulose had shown lower WVTR, increased mechanical strength and higher transparency, as compared to the control films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The packaging for food is an essential factor in food production, carrying the function for protection of the quality of food and its safety. Food packaging materials with sufficient thermal stability, mechanical strength, and antibacterial characteristics are required in the safety of food and to expand the expiration of food in the packaging, especially from food contamination by foodborne bacteria. Currently, petroleum-based plastics are used for food packaging industry. However, this type of plastic is non-degradable and can cause a more serious environmental problem. Therefore, biodegradable plastic with the addition of antibacterial is needed. PVA/starch crosslinked bioplastic may be used as a food packaging material because it is cheap, biodegradable and have excellent mechanical properties. Kelor (Moringa oleifera) leaf has an antibacterial ability due to its active compounds such as tannin and flavonoid. Kelor leaf is also nontoxic, abundant, and easy to find in Indonesia, making it the right candidate for an antibacterial compound for food packaging plastics. In this research, we examined the antibacterial activity of kelor leaves extract as an additive of bioplastic PVA/starch crosslinked with citric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we report on the preparation and characterization of a biodegradable active PLA film (aPLA), intended for food packaging applications. The film was obtained by cast extrusion blending a commercial PLA matrix with an active system, developed in our laboratory and based on PLA microparticles containing a-tocopherol (aTCP) as natural antioxidant agent. In order to optimize the film composition and processing, the active microparticles were preliminarily characterized with the aim to evaluate their morphology (size and shape), thermal resistance and a-tocopherol content. The aPLA film, produced with a 5wt% of aTCP, was characterized in terms of performance and activity. The experimental results demonstrated that the aPLA film has mechanical, thermal, barrier and optical properties adequate for packaging applications and shows oxygen scavenging activity and prolonged exhaustion lag time, compared to pure PLA films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]