University of Tehran Press Iranian Journal of Biosystem Engineering 2008-4803 51 3 2020 11 21 Photochemical Modification of Starch-Oleic Acid Composite as a Biodegradable Film in Food Packaging Photochemical Modification of Starch-Oleic Acid Composite as a Biodegradable Film in Food Packaging 643 654 78885 10.22059/ijbse.2020.286620.665208 FA Hamid Jahangir-Esfahani Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan, 45371-38791, Zanjan, Iran. Iman Shahabi-Ghahfarrokhi Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan, 45371-38791, Zanjan, Iran. Rahmatollah Pourata Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zanjan, 45371-38791, Zanjan, Iran Journal Article 2019 08 03 Starch is a bio-based, easy access and low price biopolymer which can be a good option to substitution of the synthetic polymers. But, the high water vapor permeability (WVP) and the low mechanical properties of starch films have limited the application of starch based polymer as a packaging material. The composition of starch with fatty acids, and development of the cross-links by irradiation are good approaches to reduce the hydrophilicity and WVP of starch based polymers. In this study, the starch-oleic acid composites were modified by UV ray and developed by solution casting. Then physical, chemical, and packaging properties of the composites were investigated. Regard to the results, water contact angle was increased and WVP of the specimens was decreased by oleic acid composition. But no change was observed by UV exposer of the starch-oleic acid solution. However, the tensile strength, elasticity and tensile energy to break were reduced by oleic acid emulsion in the matrix of biopolymer. But, the elasticity of the film specimens was increased, simultaneously. It can be concluded, the virgin starch-oleic acid composition was the best modification method to decreasing the sensibility of starch to moisture as a packaging material.  Starch is a bio-based, easy access and low price biopolymer which can be a good option to substitution of the synthetic polymers. But, the high water vapor permeability (WVP) and the low mechanical properties of starch films have limited the application of starch based polymer as a packaging material. The composition of starch with fatty acids, and development of the cross-links by irradiation are good approaches to reduce the hydrophilicity and WVP of starch based polymers. In this study, the starch-oleic acid composites were modified by UV ray and developed by solution casting. Then physical, chemical, and packaging properties of the composites were investigated. Regard to the results, water contact angle was increased and WVP of the specimens was decreased by oleic acid composition. But no change was observed by UV exposer of the starch-oleic acid solution. However, the tensile strength, elasticity and tensile energy to break were reduced by oleic acid emulsion in the matrix of biopolymer. But, the elasticity of the film specimens was increased, simultaneously. It can be concluded, the virgin starch-oleic acid composition was the best modification method to decreasing the sensibility of starch to moisture as a packaging material.  https://ijbse.ut.ac.ir/article_78885_e54a7ee8ccf44d11d3dbfc614c2bb190.pdf