Filmes biodegradáveis de mandioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz): uma revisão

Abstract

Plastic is the most used material in the production of packaging and can be made from different polymers. An ecological manufacturing alternative is to use materials that result in a biodegradable packaging, which is absorbed through the action of microorganisms, being produced with starch, plasticizer and heat. Brazil has several starchy species, among which cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) stands out and several authors demonstrate its potential in the bioplastics industry. Thus, the present work aims to analyze techniques applied in the production of biofilms from cassava, their modes of characterization and conclusions about formulations and incorporations. All through bibliographic review with searches using specific terms in Google Scholar, without restriction on the chronology of the material, but they were selected through exploratory and selective reading to verify which ones contained the necessary information to achieve the objectives of this research. The authors elaborate different formulations using water, starch, glycerol, sorbitol, fruit pulp, pullulan, cellulose and many other materials, casting stands out among the techniques for preparing biofilms, but tape casting, extrusion and convection are also used. To characterize the films, the authors usually evaluate thickness, mechanical properties and barrier properties, which allow comparing the performance of the formulations and verifying if they serve a certain desired purpose. The application of biofilms is already a reality in the form of a biodegradable bag produced by Avani Eco, but authors also study the direct application in food and even advantages that the film can provide to the product. In addition, cassava has a low cost, but some incorporations can make its manufacture more expensive and the packaging must follow the legislative norms of the region where it will be marketed. Therefore, film components influence in all aspects, like in properties, durability, application and even economically.