The Green Alternative to Plastic: An Innovative Biodegradable Film That Preserves Food Quality

SadaNews - A team of scientists from Rishitnev University in Russia has developed a biodegradable plastic film that can serve as a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastic packaging, while maintaining the quality and safety of food.

The university stated in a release reported by the Russian news agency "TASS" that researchers studied the impact of three additives typically added to plastic to make it "softer and more flexible" on the biodegradable plastic films and their ability to protect food.

The results showed that two types of these plasticizers, Triacetin (TA) and Triethyl citrate (TEC), change the structure of the film and make it less cohesive, while the third plasticizer - known as Tributyl acetyl citrate (TBAC) - maintains the stability of the film without weakening it, making it more compatible with the plastic material used.

Practical Experiment on Chicken Packaging

Anna Sukhanova, head of the Department of Biodegradable Polymer Materials at the university, explained that the film made from biodegradable plastic with the addition of "TBAC" was used to package chicken meat, which contributed to extending its shelf life to seven days under refrigeration conditions, without any change in taste, texture, or odor.

She added that the transfer rate of this substance from the film to the food was very low and falls within the limits imposed by international food safety standards.

Researchers hope that this type of film will help reduce reliance on traditional plastic and minimize plastic waste by providing packaging that maintains the quality of food products while being less harmful to the environment.

It is worth noting that a plasticizer is a substance added to plastics or plastic films to make them softer and more flexible, and selecting the appropriate type of plasticizer is a key issue in food packaging, ensuring safety and that it does not transfer to food while maintaining the properties of the film and the quality of the product.

 

Source: Various Websites