Effects of Carboxymethyl Cellulose and Glycerol on the Physical Properties of Soy Protein -Based Bioplastics

Biodegradable plastic is a food packaging that is widely developed today because of its properties that can be degraded by soil biota. In this study, biodegradable plastics based on soy protein obtained from solid waste of the tofu industry were developed. This study was conducted to see the effect of variations of Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) and Glycerol on the physical characteristics of plastic materials made from soy protein. CMC with concentrations of 1, 1.5, and 2 % (w/w) and glycerol 0, 30, 50, 70% were mixed with soy protein with a concentration of 10% and formed a film by the casting method. The results showed that the addition of CMC and glycerol had an effect on the moisture content and solubility of the resulting plastic. Based on all the physical characteristics tested (moisture content, solubility, thickness, heat resistance and biodegradability tests), the best treatment was obtained at the treatment of CMC concentration of 1.5% and glycerol 30%.