Development of a continuous process to make casein films.
A semicontinuous pilot plant process was developed to make films from calcium caseinate plasticized with glycerol. Calcium caseinate/glycerol solutions were wetted and spread on polyethylene or Mylar belts and were readily removed after forming films. A Meier rod was used to spread the solution onto the belt. Feed rates were 3.3 and 5 g/cm. The resulting films using the polyethylene belt had a tensile strength of 5 MPa and 30% elongation with thickness of 0.14 mm. When the glycerol concentration was adjusted, the process produced films with properties similar to those previously reported for a batch process. It is anticipated that this process will apply to other proteins.
Dairy Processing and Products Research Unit, Eastern Regional Research Service, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania 19038, USA. mkozempel@arserrc.gov
Michael
M
Kozempel
Peggy M
PM
Tomasula
D002364:Caseins / Q000737:chemistry; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry; D010968:Plasticizers; D020959:Polyethylene; D012996:Solutions
D002364:Caseins; D010968:Plasticizers; D012996:Solutions; C484216:calcium caseinate; D020959:Polyethylene; D005990:Glycerol