EVALUATION OF THE ADDITION OF CALCIUM STEARATE IN THE RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF THERMOPLASTIC WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE

• Grant number: 24/04967-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2024
• End date: August 26, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Marina Fernandes Cosate de Andrade
• Grantee: Pedro Arthur Lopes Saad Meirelles
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/17470-4 - STUDY OF FILMS OF BLENDS OF GELATIN/WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE MODIFIED WITH CALCIUM STEARATE, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

Polymers from fossil sources are currently the most used in Brazil. Polymers from fossil sources are not renewable and cause climate change by emitting fossil carbon into the atmosphere. One solution to this problem is the partial or total replacement of fossil materials with polymers from renewable sources and additives from renewable sources.Proteins are renewable and promising materials for use in packaging and other applications. Thermoplastic Whey Protein Isolate (WPIT) has the potential for new materials development, although there are some challenges to overcome for its use as an alternative to fossil materials, such as processability and mechanical resistance. The plasticization and stabilization of WPIT interactions are essential to increase its applications. Calcium stearate is an additive used in the plastics industry that could stabilize the protein's electrostatic interactions and reduce its viscosity to enable blends with commercial polymers. The protein stabilization could favor the increase in the viscous component contribution to the material rheological behavior, which is a fundamental property for its subsequent processing by extrusion.In this project, the whey protein isolate will be denatured and plasticized with calcium stearate and polyethylene glycol (PEG). The Design of Experiments will study the denaturation of whey protein considering the following factors: calcium stearate and PEG content. The responses will be the rheological behavior of the modified proteins, which will be determined by parallel plate rheometry.