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Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Forming Micro-and Nano-Plastics from Agricultural Plastic Films for Employment in Fundamental Research Studies
Published on: July 27, 2022
Controlling plasticizer migration based on crystal structure and micromorphology in propionylated starch-based food
Yujia Liu1, Shuyan Zhang1, Siqian Chen1
1Key Laboratory of Healthy Food Development and Nutrition Regulation of China National Light Industry, School of Chemical Engineering and Energy Technology, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523808, China.
Abstract:
Migration of additives is an important issue for proper application in food packaging. In this work, propionylated waxy and normal starch-based nanocomposites (PW-N and PN-N) with two different amylopectin content were immersed in distilled water, and structural changes and migration mechanism of plasticizer (triacetin) were discussed in detail. Results showed that when immersion time was prolonged to 150 h, small crystals of PN-N disappeared, and amorphous structures formed gradually in PW-N and PN-N. Exfoliated structures still remained in PW-N with prolonged immersion time, while exfoliated structures gradually formed from intercalated ones in PN-N, and the peak representing d001 (d-spacing) at q = 1.70 nm-1 faded. The migration mechanism of triacetin obeyed the first-order kinetic model and Fick's law; furthermore, in comparison with PW-N, PN-N showed a larger diffusion coefficient (D2 = 12.13 μm2·h-1). These results contributed to expanding the application of starch-based nanocomposites in future environmentally friendly food packaging.
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