Australian researchers create flexible film using milk protein
In Australia, in a recent study published in Polymers, researchers at Flinders University in South Australia created a thin, flexible film using calcium caseinate, a commercially available form of casein, the primary protein found in milk. They blended it with modified starch and bentonite nanoclay, then added glycerol and polyvinyl alcohol to improve durability and flexibility. The goal was to produce a material that performs like conventional plastic while being far more environmentally friendly.
Tests showed the material steadily decomposed under normal soil conditions, with full breakdown estimated within 13 weeks. The findings provide early evidence that combining biopolymers with nanoclay suspensions can produce functional films suitable for sustainable food packaging.
Category: Research
