Effect of tragacanth, glycerol and sunflower oil on potato starch-based edible films

Due to disadvantages of synthetic packaging materials such as migration into food، polluting of environment، difficulty of recovery، high costs of raw materials and production، also modifying properties of starch based edible film، in this study different kinds of edible films from starch and tragacanth (Iranian gum) will be formulated and their properties investigated. In this regard، edible films formulated by mixing potato starch، tragacanth (1-5%)، Glycerol plasticizer (10-40%) and sunflower oil (0-20%)، then the film mechanical (tensile strength and elongation)، optical، solubility and water vapor permeability (WVP) properties measured. The results showed that physical and mechanical properties of potato starch-based edible films were affected by the content of tragacanth، glycerol and sunflower oil. The tragacanth gum increased tensile strength and reduced chroma، while glycerol reduced tensile strength and increased elongation at break. Also، the sunflower oil decreased solubility and water vapor permeability and increased elongation. Finally، amounts of 2% tragacanth، 30% glycerol and 17% sunflower oil were determined as optimum points for production of starch based edible films with optimum properties.