Obtenção de filmes pela reticulação de quitosana com transglutaminase microbiana e Whey Protein.

Abstract

The use of biodegradable films and coatings based on whey protein (Whey protein), chitosan, transglutaminase enzyme and glycerol goes beyond the preservation of plant products, as films and coatings alter the physiology of these plant products. In view of this, studies should be directed towards the evaluation of the physiological changes of coated or packaged products and deepen the discussion on the various polymeric matrices that can be used and what are the technological implications for this use. Thus, the objective of this work was to develop and optimize biodegradable and edible films composed of chitosan and whey protein cross-linked by microbial transglutaminase and to evaluate their barrier potential in strawberries during storage. Experiments were carried out to determine the concentrations of chitosan, transglutaminase enzyme and glycerol in films and cross-linked coating solutions. The experiments were developed referring to the articles entitled “Rheological behavior of denatured whey protein cross-linked by transglutaminase in different amounts and reaction times” and “Optimization of the biodegradable coating formulation obtained by cross-linking whey protein with transglutaminase enzyme and chitosan to improve the life of strawberry shelf.” was developed at the Food Engineering Laboratory of the Food Engineering Academic Unit of the Federal University of Campina Grande. In the present work, the influence of the concentrations of the enzyme transglutaminase, chitosan and glycerol on the physical, mechanical and barrier properties of films based on whey protein was evaluated, with the objective of optimizing the formulation for application in strawberries using the methodology of response surface. In addition, we evaluated the effect of the optimized film on strawberries through physical and physicochemical analyzes during storage, demonstrating that it represents an excellent barrier against microorganisms, extending the shelf life of the fruits.