Extraction and characterization of Tikhur starch (Curcuma angustifolia) and its utilisation in the development of edible films

Abstract

Isolation and characterization of starch from Curcuma angustifolia rhizome (Tikhur) was carried out for the development of novel edible food packaging film.Various characteristics viz. physicochemical and functional was studied for determining its suitability for edible film development. The low percentage of ash, protein and fat revealed the purity and high quality of isolated starch. Functional characteristics indicated good paste clarity and water retaining capacity. The isolated starch contains 31.9 ± 0.45% amylose which offer better stability and film forming property. Isolated starch was used for the development of edible food packaging film by solvent casting method and its mechanical, optical, barrier, thermal, and morphological properties were examined. The developed starch film displayed good tensile strength and flexibility. The characteristic diffraction peak of the starch film showed more crystalline structure than the amorphous structure. The thermogravimetric investigation revealed the required thermal stability of extracted starch film for the packaging of food products with 40% of the mass loss occurred between 330 °C and 410 °C. The film was uniform, transparent and easy to handle. The study showed that Curcuma angustifolia rhizome starch is a sustainable starch source for application of starch in food packaging industry.