Sweet lime peel-, polyvinyl alcohol- and starch-based biodegradable film: preparation and characterization

The sweet lime juice processing industries produce immense amounts of sweet lime peels which are regarded as waste, and its management is a key concern for the food business, whereas these wastes can be used to make biodegradable packaging film, which is a value-added product made from waste that will also help to address environmental problems. The present study was aimed to create a sweet lime peel-based biodegradable film where sweet lime peel powder (SLPP) acted as a filler material, whereas polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) and starch served as a matrix for the film development. Using the solution casting method, nine different composite films were developed by altering the proportions of sweet lime peel powder (SLPP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) and starch. The developed films were analysed for various mechanical property, barrier property and FTIR. Film made with a ratio of 1.5:1.5:0 (SLPP/PVOH/starch) was observed to have better properties when compared with all other films. Moisture content, solubility, water vapour permeability, transparency, tensile strength and elongation at break for best film were found to be 36.67 +/- 0.2%, 85.09 +/- 0.20%, 2.54 +/- 0.02 (10(-6) g/pa h m), 1.98 +/- 0.02, 509.32 +/- 0.53 kPa and 11.31 +0.05%, respectively. [GRAPHICS] .