GAO Wenjing, LEI Qiao, QIE Zihan
The present study was designed to explore the effects of Plasma treatment on properties of protein-based film-forming solutions. For this purpose, the WPI-NaCas-GLY composite film-forming solution was treated with atmospheric pressure cold Plasma of 30 W at different temperatures for 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 and 60 min,respectively. Changes in chromaticity, pH, particle size, surface tension, foaming properties and emulsifying capacity of the film forming solution during the treatment were observed. The results showed that the yellowness of the film forming solution rose, and the pH value waved to decline, protein polymerization increased the size of protein macromolecule particles in solution at a rate of doubling every 5 minutes with the extension of treatment time, due to the action of reactive oxygen species and nitrogen species induced by plasma. The protein carbonyl groups and free SH groups of the protein increased and decreased at the rate of doubling respectively, the surface tension of the matrix was reduced to about 35 mN/m, the foaming capacity was reduced by 10%, and the foam stability was significantly improved (P<0.05), increasing from 74.99 % to 94.60 %, and the emulsification capacity reached 0.12 m2/g. The tensile strength of the composite protein film was increased by 0.5 Mpa, light transmittance decreased, the oxygen transmission rate was reduced to 0.53 cc/(m2?day), and the water vapor transmission coefficient was reduced by about 40%. It was inferred that the timely Plasma treatment can effectively improve the hydrophobicity, foaming ability, and emulsification properties of protein-based film-forming solution, and got the ideal composite protein film.