1Research scholar, Department of Food and Agricultural Process Engineering, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
2Professor and Head, Department of Food and Agricultural Process Engineering, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
The effects of glycerol and sorbitol on rheological properties of banana flour and the mechanical, functional and water vapour barrier properties of the composite films at 30,40 and 50% plasticizer concentrations were studied. Films were prepared by casting method. The rheological properties of film forming solution studied using oscillation tests under frequency sweep tests revealed that storage and loss modulus values decreased with increasing plasticizer levels. Water sorption studies showed that water adsorption is more for films plasticized with glycerol than sorbitol. Film plasticized with glycerol had the highest water vapour permeability and solubility values. Tensile strength of the films decreased and elongation at break increased with increasing plasticizer concentration. Film plasticized with sorbitol had more tensile strength and elongation percentage than glycerol incorporated films.
Plasticizers, rheology, banana, flour, films
