Evaluation of Biopolimeric Films of Cassava Starch with Incorporation of Clay Modified by Ionic Exchange and its Application as a Coating in a Fruit

Cassava starch is an attractive biopolymeric because of its renewable characteristics and low cost, but it has a high transfer rate of water vapor. Hydrophilic compounds of organically modified montmorillonite clay by ion exchange can be used to improve the limiting properties of starch in exchange for additives such as lipids.

The solutions prepared with 5% m/v starch / 5% m/m cationic / anionic clay and uncoated were applied in caja fruit, harvested at physiological maturity, selected for absence of defects and color uniformity. The experimental design was performed with four storage times (0, 3, 6 and 9 days). For the maturation index, there was an isolated effect of the type of coating and storage time, showing the composite films of modified cationic clay with greater MI of the fruits in comparison to the control fruits.