Preparation and Evaluation of Polylactic Acid-Quinoa Composite films

Biodegradable composites were developed by incorporating quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Wild.) into polylactic acid (PLA), with varying ratios. The resulting films were characterized using melting points, bomb calorimetry, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, water uptake, water permeability, water contact angle, antioxidant assay and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The incorporation of differing quantities of quinoa fiber affected the properties of the composites. Films with higher quinoa content (PLA 25) exhibited enhanced water permeability as well as antioxidant ability compared to those with lower quinoa content (PLA 75). These initial studies show quinoa/PLA composites have potential in the development of bio-renewable and biodegradable materials for active food packaging.