Preparation and characterization of films from pea protein

The conditions for protein film preparation from an alkaline dispersion of a pea protein isolate were investigated in the presence of polyols as plast icizers. Mechanical and hastier properties of resulting films were studied as a function of protein dispersion conditions, protein and plasticizer con centrations and ratios, chain length of the plasticizer, and pH and composi tion of the alkaline medium. Neither the mode of protein hydration nor the pea isolate origin had a significant effect on the mechanical properties of pea protein films. However, increasing the plasticizer chain length. induc ed slightly higher surface hydrophobicity but poor mechanical properties. A ddition of monoglycerides to film-forming solution allowed a significant im provement of the films during aging. Both tensile strength and surface hydr ophobicity increased when ammonium hydroxide was used as protein dispersing agent instead of sodium, hydroxide.