Effects of exposure to pulsed light on molecular aspects of edible films made from cassava and taro starch

- The pulsed light (PL) produced modifications on the edible films.
- PL caused a slight cross-linking in the taro starch-based film.
- Films made from cassava suffered deterioration due to PL.
- PL produces crosslinking in amylopectin chains and disruption in amylose chains.

Pulsed light (PL) has been proposed as a method for modifying the physico-chemical properties of edible films by photo-polymerization. Films made from cassava or taro starch plasticized with glycerol were developed and divided into two groups. Films in group 1 were exposed to the maximum PL intensity permitted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (12 J/cm2), while those in group 2 acted as the controls. The thickness, opacity, density, water solubility, water activity, stability in acidic or alkaline solutions, thermogravimetric (TGA) curves, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectra (ATR-FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and morphology of the films were then evaluated. Edible films prepared from taro starch (lower amylose content) exposed to PL were physically modified through photo-polymerization (cross-linking), resulting in a slight improvement in starch-glycerol interactions. Conversely, starch cross-linking was not evident in the films made from the cassava starch (higher amylose content), and a photo-degradation effect (deterioration) was confirmed.Industrial relevanceThis study confirmed that pulsed light (PL) caused the deterioration of edible films made from a starch with a high amylose content. In contrast, PL treatment improved the physico-chemical properties of films made from a starch with a low amylose content. PL can thus be proposed as a quick physical method for the modification of edible films on an industrial scale.

Effect of pulsed light on starch-based edible films.90