Preparation of greaseproof paper coated with cationic-acetylated glutinous rice starch for food packaging

Developing safe and environmentally friendly food packaging paper remains a major technical challenge. The utilization of bio-based polymers to produce paper-based packaging materials is an important focus in the food industry. In this study, cationic-acetylated starch was adopted as a raw material and combined with chitosan to prepare novel greaseproof coating materials. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed that the surface of uncoated paper exhibited a fibrous network structure. In contrast, the coated paper showed a smooth surface with the fibrous texture completely covered. The oil resistance grade of the paper increased from 0 to 12, demonstrating excellent greaseproof performance. In addition, the water vapor transmission rates (WVT) for uncoated paper and coated paper are 2580.15 g/m²·24 h and 1050.87 g/m²·24 h, respectively; the WVT decreased by 59.27%. Paper flexibility increased by 50.00%, and mechanical properties were significantly improved. The results revealed the film-forming properties of starch-based materials. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of starch-based coating materials in food packaging and broadens the potential uses of glutinous rice starch in the food industry.