Bilayer films composed of wheat gluten film and UV-cured coating: water vapor permeability and other functional properties

Two types of UV-cured coating were deposited on wheat gluten film to improv e the water vapor barrier properties of this highly interesting natural fil m in such application as fresh produces packaging. The use of an epoxy acry late and an urethane acrylate coating allowed to reduce by half the water s olubility and the water vapor permeance of the gluten film. Concerning the mechanical properties, the new bilayer films were more resistant but less r esilient and flexible than the control gluten film. But the good adhesion b etween each UV coating and the gluten film increased the interest for these original materials.