Biodegradable and Edible Starch Composites with Fiber-Rich Lentil Flour to Use as Food Packaging

Abstract

Following the new eco-friendly technologies for food packaging, biodegradable composites with edible components as starch, glycerol, and lentil flour rich in fiber (0, 0.5 wt.% and 1.0 wt.%) are developed. The lentil flour, obtained from the residue of a commercial lentil protein extraction process, have micrometer size and, unlike typical lentil flour, have three times higher concentration of fiber. Its use leads to increments in the storage modulus, strength at break, and toughness of the composites, and to decreases in water vapor permeability, with respect to the matrix, showing that the additive can act as reinforcement for starch films. Composites with 0.5 wt.% of flour result in more flexibility due to their homogeneous dispersion in the matrix. All films are thermally stable up to 240 °C and biodegradable in vegetal compost after 4 weeks. These new composites are high promising for use as biodegradable and edible food coatings. They could enrich food nutritional value by the fiber-rich flour addition.