Pectin bioplastic films regenerated from dragon fruit peels

According to the organization European Bioplastics, bioplastics are defined as materials based on renewable resources or those that are biodegradable or compostable [3]. Bio-based plastics are made from polysaccharides such as starches, cellulose, chitin, pectin, proteins like wheat gluten, wool, silk, gelatin, lipids (animal fats), vegetable oils, and products of microorganisms. Pectin is a natural material that appears in a great proportion of fruits and vegetables such as berries, apples, and oranges. Pectin is a mandatory polymer and its use in industry has diverse applications that continues to grow [2]. Pectin is a necessary component in plant cell structure and it consists of α-(1, 4)-linked D-galacturonic acid residues in which a part of the galacturonic acid is esterified or an acetylated methyl or both [4]. Depending on the degree of esterification (DE), pectin is divided into high-methoxyl (HM) pectin (DE>50%) and low-methoxyl (LM) pectin (DE<50%) [5]. Pectin extraction is typically performed by way of solvent extraction from raw materials where all extraction conditions, such as extraction temperature, extraction time, pH, and type of extraction solvent can affect the yield and quality of extracted pectin [4]. Normally, solvents with strong hydrogen bonding capacity are good for polysaccharides [6], which could promote carbohydrate chain spreading. Pectin molecules with a completely extended structure in a good solvent have better steric impediment, which stands in the way of intermolecular flocculation. Pectin has attracted a lot thanks to its exceptional properties; they are able to freeze in the presence of acids and sugars, have a high viscosity, are Pectin bioplastic films regenerated from dragon fruit peels