Selection of the conveyor belt material for edible film production by a continuous casting process

Seleção do material da esteira transportadora para produção de filme comestível por processo de moldagem contínua

Abstract

The scaling up of the wet process and the design of a coating line to produce edible films, require the consideration of several factors such as, the film formulation, drying kinetics of the films, and the selection of a suitable support material in which to pour the solution. This work aimed to select the most suitable material for the construction of a conveyor belt for the fabrication of edible films through the wet process. The surface properties of the starch film-forming solution were determined. Several commercial materials for conveyor belts were tested. The film-forming solution spreadability and work of adhesion were determined. The mechanical behavior of the dry film was evaluated through mechanical properties and peeling resistance. All materials tested showed good performance under the operational conditions assayed to obtain edible films. Finally, the polyurethane band was chosen due to its appropriate performance and lower cost.

Keywords:
Starch films; Spreadability; Work of adhesion; Solid surface tension; Scaling up; Coating line