Abstract:
The non-biodegradability and attendant environmental menace of polyethylene and other modern days packaging materials has triggered the need for environmentally friendly materials. Bioplastic film, an environmentally friendly packaging material was produced from starch incorporated with citrus lemon peel extract. Ethanolic extract of citrus lemon peel was subjected to Gas Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry and twenty-four (24) compounds were detected which are classified as phenolic compounds, essential oils, sugar and its derivatives. The amylose and amylopectin of the cassava starch was found to be 34.46 and 65.54 % respectively. Five different types of bioplastic films were produced and are designated as film0 %, film5 %, film10 %, film15 % andfilm20 %. Bioplastics films produced have their density range from 0.15 to
0.24 gcm-3, thickness from 0.25 to 0.74 mm, tensile Strength from 0.75 to 1.35 MPA, young modulus 8.85 to 25.60, elongation from 14.00 to 20.00%, moisture content from 12.09 to 14.86, water solubility from 1.23 to 2.84 %, and opacity from 0.36 to 0.67 %. The anti-oxidant activities of the biofilm were assessed using DPPH free radical scavenging and found to vary from 1.44 to 6.19 % and total phenolic compound from 0.01 to 0.32 %. Smoked fish packed (72 h) in the bioplastic films and the freshly smoked fish were analyzed. The moisture content (53.76 %), ash (2.10 %), fat (16.67 %), protein (24.66 %) and carbohydrate value (2.82 %) of the fresh smoked fish (prepacked) was found to be higher than all packed fish with moisture contents ranges from (12.01 to 38.69 %), ash (5.33 to 15.64 %), fat (20.93 to 24.92 %), protein (30.19 to 37.06 %) and carbohydrate (4.88 to 10.38 %). The saponification value of the prepacked fish was found to be 8.42 mgKOH/g and for packed fish ranges from 5.51 to 6.99 mgKOH/g. Analysis of extracted oil of fresh and packed fish revealed the presence of saturated, mono unsaturated and poly unsaturated fatty acid at varied concentration.
