Development of model for mechanical properties of tapioca starch based edible films

Eco-efficient products are the new generation of bio-based products prepared with sustainable materials, which agree with ecological and economic requirements including environmentally acceptable disposal of post-user waste. Increasing environmental concerns associated with handling of plastic waste has emphasized the importance of developing biodegradable edible films from starch. The objective of this study is to develop models and study the individual and interactive effects of the process variables on the mechanical properties of tapioca starch-based edible films using Box-Behnken design. Box-Behnken design with four factors at three levels was employed to evaluate the individual and interactive effects of process parameters (tapioca starch 1-3 g; glycerol 0.5-1.0 ml; agar 0.5-1.0 g; and span 80:0.1-0.5 ml) on the tensile strength, elongation. Young's modulus, puncture force, and puncture deformation respectively. The results were analyzed using Pareto analysis of variance (ANOVA). For each response, second order polynomial regression models were developed and it showed good fit of the experimental data with high coefficient of determination (R-2) and a close agreement between experimental and predicted values was found. The response surface and contour plots were constructed for representing the relationship between the process parameters and the responses. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.