Effect of sorbitol concentration on physical and mechanical properties of bio-based film of quince seed mucilage

In recent years, natural polymers such as quince seed mucilage  have received much attention for their replacement with plastics derived from petroleum derivatives in the production of packaging films. Polyols are one of the most important plasticizer to increase the efficiency and mechanical properties of biological films. The aim of this study was the effect of different concentrations of sorbitol (20, 35 and 50% w /w) on physical (water solubility, moisture, water vapor permeability, color, hydrophobicity), mechanical properties of quince seed mucilage based film. The results showed that with increasing sorbitol concentration, the water vapor permeability, tensile strength, water solubility, the moisture content and contact angle was decreased. By increasing sorbitol concentration, L* b* and a* index of films decreased, increased, increased, respectively.  The water vapor permeability of produced films was affected by the relative humidity of the environment. Comparison of the effect of glycerol and sorbitol at the same concentration (35%) on the properties of mucilage based film showed that water vapor permeability and contact angle of films containing sorbitol was decreased about 33 and 19.4%, respectively. Therefore, sorbitol suggested to incorporate in quince seed mucilage based films to obtaining advanced bio-films with low affinity to water for packaging of food products. Incorporate of sorbitol to produce biofilms based on quince seed mucilage is suggested to obtaining bio-films with low affinity to water for food packaging products.