Thermoformed Containers Based on Starch and Starch/Coffee Waste Biochar Composites

Biodegradable containers support zero-waste initiatives when alternative end-of-life scenarios are available (e.g., composting, bio digestion). Thermoplastic starch (TPS) has emerged as a readily biodegradable and inexpensive biomaterial that can replace traditional plastics in applications such as food service ware and packaging. This study has two aims. First, demonstrate the thermoformability of starch/polycaprolactone (PCL) as a thermoplastic material with varying starch loadings. Second, incorporate biochar as a sustainable filler that can potentially lower the cost and enhance compostability. Biochar is a stable form of carbon produced by thermochemical conversion of organic biomass, such as food waste, and its incorporation into consumer products could promote a circular economy. Thermoformed samples were successfully made with starch contents from 40 to 60 wt.% without biochar. Increasing the amount of starch increased the viscosity of the material, which in turn affected the compression molding (sheet manufacturing) and thermoforming conditions. PCL content reduced the extent of biodegradation in soil burial experiments and increased the strength and elongation at break of the material. A blend of 50:50 starch:PCL was selected for incorporating biochar. Thermoformed containers were manufactured with 10, 20, and 30 wt.% biochar derived from waste coffee grounds. The addition of biochar decreased the elongation at break but did not significantly affect the modulus of elasticity or tensile strength. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using starch and biochar for the manufacturing of thermoformed containers.

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115 The Beef Industry in a Post-Pandemic World

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skab054.070 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 40-40

Author(s):

Derrell S Peel

Keyword(s):

Supply Chains ◽

Inventory Management ◽

Service Sector ◽

Food Service ◽

Consumer Products ◽

Labor Management ◽

Beef Industry ◽

Design Changes ◽

The Face ◽

Retail Grocery

Abstract The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused unprecedented shocks and disruptions in the cattle and beef industry. The shutdown of food service in March 2020 caused an unparalleled stacking of food demand on the retail grocery sector. The rigidity and specialized nature of food service and retail grocery supply chains, compounded by a surge in consumer demand at retail grocery, resulted in temporary shortages of meat in other consumer products in supermarkets. The food service sector recovered somewhat over many weeks but remained diminished through the balance of 2020 and beyond. In April 2020, COVID-19 infections affected the labor forces of many meat packing and processing facilities and resulted in significant reductions in beef packing and further processing for eight to twelve weeks. This caused additional product shortages in retail grocery and food service sectors. These impacts have raised many questions about how the beef industry might adapt to be more resilient in the face of such profound disruptions. Possible changes include more use of multi-purpose facilities (less specialized for food service or retail grocery supply chains); design changes in new plants and retrofitting existing facilities to reduce human health impacts; changes in labor management; changes in inventory management; and changes in business supply chain management and risk assessment practices.

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Mechanical, Thermal, and Morphological Properties of Thermoplastic Starch/Poly(lactic acid/Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) Blends

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.970.312 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 970 ◽

pp. 312-316

Author(s):

Sujaree Tachaphiboonsap ◽

Kasama Jarukumjorn

Keyword(s):

Lactic Acid ◽

Impact Strength ◽

Interfacial Adhesion ◽

Tensile Modulus ◽

Thermoplastic Starch ◽

Morphological Properties ◽

Poly Lactic Acid ◽

Melt Blending ◽

Elongation At Break ◽

Blending Method

Thermoplastic starch (TPS)/poly (lactic acid) (PLA) blend and thermoplastic starch (TPS)/poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) blend were prepared by melt blending method. PLA grafted with maleic anhydride (PLA-g-MA) was used as a compatibilizer to improve the compatibility of the blends. As TPS was incorporated into PLA, elongation at break was increased while tensile strength, tensile modulus, and impact strength were decreased. Tensile properties and impact properties of TPS/PLA blend were improved with adding PLA-g-MA indicating the enhancement of interfacial adhesion between PLA and TPS. With increasing PBAT content, elongation at break and impact strength of TPS/PLA blends were improved. The addition of TPS decreased glass transition temperature (Tg), crystallization temperature (Tc), and melting temperature (Tm) of PLA. Tgand Tcof TPS/PLA blend were decreased by incorporating PLA-g-MA. However, the presence of PBAT reduced Tcof TPS/PLA blend. Thermal properties of TPS/PLA/PBAT blends did not change with increasing PBAT content. SEM micrographs revealed that the compatibilized TPS/PLA blends exhibited finer morphology when compared to the uncompatibilized TPS/PLA blend.

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Child Labor

10.1093/obo/9780199756797-0208 ◽

2021 ◽

Keyword(s):

Child Labor ◽

Formal Education ◽

Food Service ◽

Population Group ◽

The United States ◽

Consumer Products ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Forced Labor ◽

Daily Work ◽

Safety And Health

Globally, around 200 million children, or minors seventeen years old or younger, are involved in child labor in various industries (including food service, manufacturing, and construction), and about 20 million children are involved in forced labor. In the United States, consistently federal agencies conservatively estimate about 200,000 children are injured at work each year. Among many potential activities available to older children outside of school, paid and unpaid work are two common legal options. Child labor helps produce consumer products and food used by citizens in their communities as local subsistence, or services, and helps supply global markets. Thus, in daily work of minors—a known susceptible, vulnerable population group—exposures occur to acute and chronic safety and health risks due to multiple agents indoors, outdoors, and in semi-enclosed areas. Working children may miss formal education, play, and other opportunities for healthy social and personal physical, mental, and emotional development. This article summarizes specific physical safety and health aspects of child labor based on peer-reviewed literature worldwide through January 2020. Sections of this article—after highlighting references providing a brief historical overview—purposely summarize research on adverse outcomes (injury and illness) of child labor by regions of the world and for specific countries where relatively more peer-reviewed research has been published to date. This article does not cover details of other important economic, social, and psychological aspects of child labor, topics for which other review articles and book chapters exist. This article can help public health researchers and practitioners understand more about child labor and associated injury and illness.

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Sericin cocoon bio-compatibilizer for reactive blending of thermoplastic cassava starch

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-99417-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Thanongsak Chaiyaso ◽

Pornchai Rachtanapun ◽

Nanthicha Thajai ◽

Krittameth Kiattipornpithak ◽

Pensak Jantrawut ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Maleic Anhydride ◽

Crystal Size ◽

Thermoplastic Starch ◽

Cassava Starch ◽

Chain Extension ◽

Amino Groups ◽

Reactive Blending ◽

Elongation At Break ◽

Small Crystal Size

AbstractCassava starch was blended with glycerol to prepare thermoplastic starch (TPS). Thermoplastic starch was premixed with sericin (TPSS) by solution mixing and then melt-blended with polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride (PEMAH). The effect of sericin on the mechanical properties, morphology, thermal properties, rheology, and reaction mechanism was investigated. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the TPSS10/PEMAH blend were improved to 12.2 MPa and 100.4%, respectively. The TPS/PEMAH morphology presented polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride particles (2 μm) dispersed in the thermoplastic starch matrix, which decreased in size to approximately 200 nm when 5% sericin was used. The melting temperature of polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride (121 °C) decreased to 111 °C because of the small crystal size of the polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride phase. The viscosity of TPS/PEMAH increased with increasing sericin content because of the chain extension. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the reaction between the amino groups of sericin and the maleic anhydride groups of polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride. This reaction reduced the interfacial tension between thermoplastic starch and polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride, which improved the compatibility, mechanical properties, and morphology of the blend.

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Monitoring the degradation of partly decomposable plastic foils

Acta Universitatis Sapientiae Agriculture and Environment ◽

10.2478/ausae-2014-0011 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 39-44

Author(s):

Gabriella Rétháti ◽

Krisztina Pogácsás ◽

Tamás Heffner ◽

Barbara Simon ◽

Imre Czinkota ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Tensile Strength ◽

Molecular Mass ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Thermoplastic Starch ◽

Medium Density ◽

Insulating Layer ◽

Elongation At Break ◽

One Year ◽

The One

Abstract We have monitored the behaviour of different polyethylene foils including virgin medium density polyethylene (MDPE), MDPE containing pro-oxydative additives (238, 242) and MDPE with pro-oxydative additives and thermoplastic starch (297) in the soil for a period of one year. A foil based on a blend of polyester and polylactic acid (BASF Ecovio) served as degradable control. The experiment was carried out by weekly measurements of conductivity and capacity of the soil, since the setup was analogous to a condenser, of which the insulating layer was the foil itself. The twelve replications allowed monthly sampling; the specimen taken out from the soil each month were tested visually for thickness, mechanical properties, morphological and structural changes, and molecular mass. Based on the obtained capacity values, we found that among the polyethylene foils, the one that contained thermoplastic starch extenuated the most. This foil had the greatest decrease in tensile strength and elongation at break due to the presence of thermoplastic starch. The starch can completely degrade in the soil; thus, the foil had cracks and pores. The polyethylene foils that contained pro-oxydant additives showed smaller external change compared to the virgin foil, since there was no available UV radiation and oxygen for their degradation. The smallest change occurred in the virgin polyethylene foil. Among the five examined samples, the commercially available BASF foil showed the largest extenuation and external change, and it deteriorated the most in the soil.

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Analisis zat gizi dan biaya sisa makanan pada pasien dengan makanan biasa

Jurnal Gizi Klinik Indonesia ◽

10.22146/ijcn.17379 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 108

Author(s):

Mihir Djamaluddin ◽

Endy Paryanto Prawirohartono ◽

Ira Paramastri

Keyword(s):

Length Of Stay ◽

Food Waste ◽

Economic Value ◽

Food Service ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Regular Diet ◽

The Difference ◽

The Cost

Background: The quality of food service in a hospital can be assessed from the inpatients’ nutritional status. Food waste is an indicator of food service among inpatients. Besides its therapeutic value, food has a significant economic value. The wasting cost in term of food waste affects the total availability of food costs.Objective: This study analyzes the nutrient quantity and the cost of food waste among inpatients with regular diet at Dr. Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta.Method: This was a cross sectional study. The subjects were inpatients aged 17 to 60 years old who got regular diet with length of stay was at least three days, and were willing to take part in this study (n=100). The amount of food waste was measured using the Comstock visual estimation. The cost of food waste was calculated as the proportion of food waste from cost per serving. The quantity of nutrients in food waste was calculated using the Food Processor 2 software. The data were analyzed using Chi-square test.Results: There was a difference of food waste according to gender. Rice waste was found more frequent among female (p<0,005). There was a difference of food waste according to ward class. There were more waste of meat and vegetables among inpatients in class II and the difference was significant (p<0,05). There were more waste of meat and vegetables among patients with length stay of 7 – 14 days and > 15 days (p<0,05). The vegetables and rice waste were more frequent among surgery and cancer inpatients (p<0,05). In average the nutritional value of food waste was 19,85% - 9,33% of a patient’s RDA, while the wasting cost per day was Rp 1265,08 or 10,79% of all food cost per day. The annual wasting cost of food waste was Rp 45.543.120 or 4,4% of the available budget of Rp 1.038.605.333,00.Conclusion: There were differences of food waste according to gender, ward class, length of stay, and kind of disease, especially rice, meat, and vegetables.

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Polyethylene-coffee husk eco-composites for production of value-added consumer products

Sustainable Environment Research ◽

10.1186/s42834-021-00107-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Leyla Y. Jaramillo ◽

Mauricio Vásquez-Rendón ◽

Sergio Upegui ◽

Juan C. Posada ◽

Manuel Romero-Sáez

Keyword(s):

High Density Polyethylene ◽

Value Added ◽

Young Modulus ◽

Consumer Products ◽

Elongation At Break ◽

Coffee Husk ◽

Worldwide Production ◽

Natural Filler ◽

Industrial Level ◽

Microscopy Images

AbstractThe annual worldwide production of coffee exceeds 10 million tons, and more than 90% of this production is waste, including the husk. On the other hand, plastic consumption increases every year, and sustainable alternatives are necessary to decrease it. This work arises to solve these two problems, and seeks to produce products at an industrial level from polyethylene/coffee husk eco-composites. Both Low Density Polyethylene and High Density Polyethylene were used, and the amounts of coffee husk added as filler were 20 and 40 wt%. The composites were characterized by different morphological, thermal and mechanical techniques. Scanning Electron Microscopy images showed husk particles embedded in the polymer matrix, but with some gaps between the polymer and the filler, because no compatibilizer agent was used. The addition of large amounts of natural filler negatively affected the tensile strength and elongation at break, but increases eco-composites crystallinity, and hence, their Young modulus and hardness. The industrial applicability of the eco-composites was verified through the production of five different consumer products by extrusion and injection processes, using mixtures with 40 wt% coffee husks. All products were obtained without significant defects. If only 3.25 wt% of the polyethylene products produced each year in Colombia did so with the eco-composites developed in this work, all the coffee husk produced in the country would be used, and the emission of about 5.390 million m3 of greenhouse gases would be avoided.

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Bio-Based Thermoplastic Starch Composites Reinforced by Dialdehyde Lignocellulose

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules25143236 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (14) ◽

pp. 3236

Author(s):

Peng Yin ◽

Wen Zhou ◽

Xin Zhang ◽

Bin Guo ◽

Panxin Li

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Thermal Stability ◽

Tensile Strength ◽

Water Resistance ◽

Thermoplastic Starch ◽

Contact Angles ◽

Sem Images ◽

Elongation At Break ◽

Injection Process ◽

Oxidation Damage

In order to improve the mechanical properties and water resistance of thermoplastic starch (TPS), a novel reinforcement of dialdehyde lignocellulose (DLC) was prepared via the oxidation of lignocellulose (LC) using sodium periodate. Then, the DLC-reinforced TPS composites were prepared by an extrusion and injection process using glycerol as a plasticizer. The DLC and LC were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the effects of DLC content on the properties of the DLC/TPS composites were investigated via the evaluation of SEM images, mechanical properties, thermal stability, and contact angles. XRD showed that the crystallinity of the DLC decreased due to oxidation damage to the LC. SEM showed good dispersion of the DLC in the continuous TPS phase at low amounts of DLC, which related to good mechanical properties. The tensile strength of the DLC/TPS composite reached a maximum at a DLC content of 3 wt.%, while the elongation at break of the DLC/TPS composites increased with increasing DLC content. The DLC/TPS composites had better thermal stability than the neat TPS. As the DLC content increased, the water resistance first increased, then decreased. The highest tensile strength and elongation at break reached 5.26 MPa and 111.25%, respectively, and the highest contact angle was about 90.7°.

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A Chronological List of References on Switched Capacitor Circuits

ElectroComponent Science and Technology ◽

10.1155/apec.9.275 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 275-288 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J. Vandewalle

Keyword(s):

Signal Processing ◽

Consumer Products ◽

Switched Capacitor ◽

Switched Capacitor Circuits ◽

The Cost

A chronological list of 440 references on switched capacitor circuits is compiled. Such circuits have cut the cost of filters and signal processing devices for telecommunications, speech and consumer products because they can be easily integrated on a chip. The bibliography shows the explosion of interest since 1977 by IC designers, CAD developers and circuit and filter theorists and practitioners alike.Very specialized publications as well as elementary papers and books have been included.

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