Abstract
This study investigated the optimization of chicken skin gelatin film production using different concentrations of glycerol as plasticizer, specifically for use as biodegradable food packaging. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the production of gelatin films by following a central composite design (CCD) for two quantitative modulators-(A) gelatin at 1.0, 2.5 and 4.0 g; and (B) glycerol at 0, 0.75, 1.50 g-with outcome metrics to predict tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EAB) and water vapor permeability (WVP). Potentially optimized conditions were experimentally validated to confirm the model's suggestions of 4.0 g for gelatin and 1.5 g for glycerol. Experimental results yielded a TS of 3.81 N/mm, which was higher than the RSM predicted value of 3.09 N/mm (p < 0.05). Both EAB and WVP experimental results were slightly lower than predicted values (3.04 vs. 3.14%) (p < 0.05); and (1.27 × 10-9 vs. 1.31 × 10-9 kPa) (p < 0.05), respectively. Overall, experimental results agreed with the model's predicted values. Hence, this study demonstrates that optimized conditions for the production of chicken skin gelatin films are affected by glycerol concentration and gelatin quantity. Results also suggest that chicken skin gelatin-glycerol film blends have excellent potential for the production of biodegradable food packaging with improved properties.