FATTY-ACID DISTRIBUTION AND ITS EFFECT ON OXYGEN PERMEABILITY IN LAMINATED EDIBLE FILMS

Lipid contents, distributed fatty acid concentrations and oxygen perme ability of laminated methylcellulose/corn zein-fatty acid films and me thylcellulose films separated from the laminate were investigated. Tot al lipid contents ranged from 0.056 to 0.157 g/cm(3) for the laminated edible film structure, and distributed fatty acid contents ranged fro m 0.062 to 0.220 g/cm(3) in the methylcellulose layer. Fatty acid dist ribution increased with chain length and fatty acid concentration. Oxy gen permeabilities of both laminated methylcellulose/corn zein-fatty a cid films and methylcellulose films separated from the laminate increa sed as chain length of fatty acid decreased and concentration of fatty acid increased. Scanning electron microscopy and Soxhlet extraction a ppeared to show distribution of fatty acids from the corn zein layer i nto and through the methylcellulose layer.