Water Susceptibility and Mechanical Properties of Thermoplastic Starch–Pectin Blends Reactively Extruded with Edible Citric Acid

Pectin and starch are edible, non-toxic, biodegradable and obtained from renewable sources. Also, have the benefit to be easily cross-linked producing hydrogels. Reactive extrusion with edible citric acid and cross linking interactions was evaluated on extruded thermoplastic in natura and cationic starch-pectin blends. Materials water susceptibility and mechanical properties were characterised. Reactive extrusion decreased (up to 75% in natura starch) mechanical properties. Also have decreased (up to 32.4%) both starch polymers water absorption, indicating the possibility of increasing materia...