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Beeswax-poly(vinyl alcohol) composite films for bread packaging

Summary

Scientists developed an eco-friendly plastic alternative made from polyvinyl alcohol and beeswax that can replace traditional petroleum-based plastics for wrapping bread. Through heat treatment and careful formulation, they created a material that keeps bread fresh nearly as well as regular plastic but is completely biodegradable. This innovation addresses environmental concerns about plastic waste while maintaining the freshness and quality of packaged foods.

Background

Food packaging is critical for controlling quality and safety of food products. Traditional petroleum-based plastics like polyethylene are non-degradable and persist in the environment. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a biodegradable polymer but has poor barrier properties, particularly high water vapor permeability, limiting its food packaging applications.

Objective

To develop a PVA-based composite material enhanced with beeswax and glycerin and subjected to heat treatment to improve water vapor permeability and create a suitable biodegradable alternative to polyethylene for bread packaging applications.

Results

XRD, FTIR, and XPS analysis confirmed new cross-links between PVA and beeswax. The optimal PVA with 2g beeswax without glycerin (PVA 2 no G tt) achieved 74% reduction in water vapor permeability, reaching only 7.5 times higher than polyethylene compared to 29 times for untreated PVA. Bread packaged in this material maintained moisture content better than pure PVA, with crust hardness only 1.11 times higher than polyethylene after 6 days versus 4.81 times for PVA alone.

Conclusion

Modified PVA films with beeswax and heat treatment represent a promising biodegradable alternative to polyethylene for food packaging. The optimal formulation (PVA 2 no G tt) achieved barrier properties approaching polyethylene while maintaining biodegradability, with demonstrated effectiveness in bread packaging by significantly extending shelf life through moisture retention.
  • Published in:Food Chemistry X,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research,
  • Source: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.102053, PMID: 39717404
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