Caracterización de una biopelícula degradable a partir de cáscara de chocho (Lupinus mutabilis) reforzada con almidón de yuca (Manihot esculenta) para su uso en alimentos. Articulado al Proyecto de Investigación, aprobado mediante Resolución No. UTACONIN-2025-0065-R

Abstract

The use of petroleum-derived plastics in food packaging generates increasing environmental concerns due to their low biodegradability and persistence in ecosystems. As a sustainable alternative, bioplastics have gained growing interest in the food and environmental sectors. Chocho husk, an abundant agro-industrial byproduct in the Andean regions, stands out for its significant content of polysaccharides and structural compounds. On the other hand, cassava starch provides important film-forming properties, such as flexibility, transparency, and ease of processing for biodegradable films. The applied methodology consisted of preparing seven treatments with variable formulations combining chocho husk flour, cassava starch, and glycerol as a plasticizer. The raw materials were previously analysed to determine their physicochemical properties and enable proper formulation design. The resulting bioplastics were characterized through physicochemical and mechanical analyses, as well as biodegradability tests, including tensile strength, water vapor permeability, simulated migration, and soil degradation. The films were obtained using the casting technique, followed by controlled thermal drying at sixty degrees Celsius for fourteen hours. The results indicated that, although treatment seven showed good overall performance, treatment three stood out especially for its lighter color and a favourable balance between flexibility, mechanical resistance, and biodegradability over 28 days. These characteristics position treatment three as a preferred option for applications in food packaging where appearance is crucial.