Oxygen and water barrier properties of coated whey protein and chitosan films

Films of whey protein and chitosan acetic acid salt have lower oxygen permeability than, for example, ethylene-co-vinylalcohol under dry conditions, but water and water vapor seriously impair the gas barrier properties. To reduce the oxygen permeability at 90% relative humidity and the water-vapor transmission rate at 100% relative humidity, the films were coated with an alkyd, a beeswax compound, or a nitrocellulose lacquer. Permeability and transmission rate measurements were performed in accordance with standard methods and showed that the beeswax compound and the nitrocellulose were appropriate as water-vapor barriers. Overall migration to water was measured after 10 days exposure time, with the coated surface exposed to the water, showing that the alkyd-coated and the nitrocellulose-coated films were both below the safety limit for food contact. Water absorbency tests, performed by the Cobb method, showed that the films coated with the beeswax compound or with nitrocellulose lacquer exhibit lower absorbency than the alkyd-coated films.