Development of enset starch based edible films for food packaging: Mechanical and optical properties

Abstract

Enset (Ensete Ventricosum, Family Musaceae) is a plant indigenous to Ethiopia. It is often called 'false banana' for its close resemblance to banana plant. The plant is one of the most important staple foods for the south and southwestern parts of Ethiopia. The plant contains starch as its major contents. Starch extracted from this plant has not been still investigated as raw material for biofilm. In this study, a biofilm was prepared using starch extracted from the Enset. Further, water barrier, mechanical, and optical properties of the Enset-starch (ES) based films were investigated. These properties were compared with the biofilm developed using standard corn-starch (sigma-Aldrich S4180) with same combination of plasticizer, surfactant and agar. From the results, it was observed that ES based edible film can be better compactable for food packaging material. Also, the mechanical and optical properties of the ES based film showed better appropriateness when compared with standard corn-starch-based biofilm.