Optimization of biodegradable plastic processed from avocado fruit waste using hydrolysis methods with and without the addition of plasticizers and chitosan.

Avocado waste is currently not used optimally, only disposed of as waste that is not useful and causes environmental pollution. In avocado waste, there is a high concentration of starch, about 80.1%, consisting of 44.3% of amylose, 37.7% of amylopectin, 10.2% of water, 1.21% of crude fiber, 31.3% of starch yield, and 15 to 20% of oil. Avocado seeds and skins have the potential for the production of organic biodegradable plastic. In order to produce biodegradable plastics, three different methods are used: (1) hydrolysis in an acidic medium (2) hydrolysis followed by plasticization (3) hydrolysis and mixing of chitosan. The results showed that the combination of hydrolysis, mixing of chitosan, and plasticization was very important to obtain a material with optimal mechanical properties and biodegradability to be used as biodegradable plastic. In addition, it can reduce organic waste pollution, because all avocado waste, namely seeds and skins is used as materials for making biodegradable plastic so that nothing is wasted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]