Development of a Biodegradable Film from Thai Jasmine Rice Flour

Abstract

This research aimed to study the forming process impacting film properties. The film formation was based on Thai jasmine rice flour with using glycerin as a plasticizer in amount of 3, 6, and 9 grams respectively. The compare of heat pump drying machine to hot air drying machine with 35 degree Celsius was made in drying process. Mechanic properties: Tensile strength and elongation; physical properties: color, solubility, water vapor permeability, and application for biscuit packaging; and percentage of degradability were examined. The result showed that the decrease of tensile strength correlated to increase amount of glycerin.  Also, The color were L*=78.25, a*=1.5 and b*=7.0 sequentially.  The elongation, solubility and water vapor permeability rate increased when the amount of glycerin rose. The moisture content of the film was between 8.68 and 10.59%db. The study also found that when it was used for biscuit packaging, the film with high glycerin affected the moisture of biscuit. That is, the moisture of biscuit was high; but its crispiness was low. For dying process, when comparing hot air drying machine to heat pump drier, the finding reported that heat pump drying machine was able to better delay water vapor permeability into biscuit. Biodegradable film from Thai jasmine rice flour with high glycerin degraded in less time. It can be applied to bio-based packaging production in order to substitute the synthetic, which can reduce indecomposable waste in the future.