Protein-based materials

Many plant and animal proteins have been considered as raw material for producing films and coatings, which are generally characterised by functional properties of great interest [3, 10, 10-27]. 

The film-forming properties of corn zein have also been investigated in detail [42-47]. Zein films are water insoluble, relatively shiny and greaseproof, but they sometimes have unsuitable organoleptic properties (off-odour, chewiness, etc). Zein-based films and coatings to improve food shelf life, via their high barrier properties (to water vapour or especially to oxygen), or their retention or controlled-release properties of active additives on food surface. These films have been successfully used to protect dry fruits and various parts of frozen or intermediate moisture foods. 

Peanut protein-based films and soluble sachets have been obtained by skimming off the skin on the surface of heated peanut milk, as described previously for soymilk [68, 69, 

Anker and co-workers [48] developed insoluble keratin-based films obtained by spreading and drying a thin layer of alkaline dispersions. The high cysteine content in keratin prompts the formation of many disulfide bonds that stabilise the protein network [69,94]. However, consumer acceptance of keratin-based edible sachets for food products has been low [95]. 

The use of albumen proteins as a base for the encapsulation of hydrophobic organic compounds for cosmetic or food uses is the focus of several patents [96-98]. Application of albumen coatings can reduce raisin moisture loss in breakfast mixtures [99]. Albumen has also been used as an edible coating ingredient [100,101]. Okamoto [69] reported the 

Zein is not water-soluble because of its high nonpolar amino acid content. Zein solutions are thus obtained by solubilisation in a solvent (generally alcohol or a volatile oi anic solvent), or in an alkaline medium, sometimes with a soap supplement. Zein water dispersions (zein latex ) are now commercially available (e.g., OptaGlaze from Opta Food Ingredients Inc., Bedford, MA, USA). Another technique involves direct hot press moulding of zein, after decreasing the glass transition temperature (Tg) via the addition of plasticisers [33]. 

The viscoelastic and flow properties of plasticised malleable phases based on wheat gluten were investigated as a function of temperature, water content and time [71, 74, 75]. 

Up until the 1960s, milk protein-based materials were used for making glossy record album covers, buttons and decorative items. Labels for some cheeses are still made with crosslinked casein. The film-forming properties of casein and whey proteins were investigated with the aim of developing edible films and coatings [91, 92]. Caseins 

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The structures of some natural protein-based materials, such as silk and wool, result in strong, tough fibers. Spiders and silkworms use proteins as a structural material of remarkable strength (Fig. 19.22). Chemists are duplicating nature by making artificial spider silk (Fig. 19.23), which is one of the strongest fibers known. 

Urry D.W. et al., Protein-Based Materials (McGrath K. and Kaplan D., eds.), Birkhauser, Boston, MA, 1997. 

Kiick KL (2007) Biosynthetic methods for the production of advanced protein-based materials. Polym Rev 47 1-7... 

KP McGareth, MM Butler. In KP McGareth, D Kaplan, eds. Protein-Based Materials. Boston Birkhauser, 1997, pp 251-279. 

There are also RMs which are prepared for a specific application and are used for validation of relevant methods. Cobbaert et al. (1999) made use of Ion Selective Electrode (ISE)-protein-based materials when evaluating a procedure which used an electrode with an enzyme-linked biosensor to determine glucose and lactate in blood. Chance et al. (1999) are involved with the diagnosis of inherited disorders in newborn children and they prepared a series of reference materials consisting of blood spotted onto filter paper and dried, from which amino-acids can be eluted and... 

DW Urry, A Pattanaik. Elastic protein-based materials in tissue reconstruction. Ann NY Acad Sci 831 32-46, 1997. 

McGrath, K. and Kaplan, D. 1997. Protein-Based Materials. Springer, New York. 

McGrath K, Kaplan D, editors. Protein-based materials. Cambridge, MA Birkhauser 1997. 

Urry DW, Luan CH, Harris CM, Parker TM. Protein-based materials with a profound range of properties and applications the elastin DTt hydrophobic paradigm. Prot Based Mater 1997 133-177. 

J. C.M. van Hest, D.A. Tirrell, Protein-based materials, tow/ard a new level of structural control, Chem. Common. 19 (2001) 1897-1904. 

Chen, L., Remondetto, G.E., Subirade, M. (2006a). Food protein-based materials as nutra-ceutical delivery systems. Trends in Food Science and Technology, 17, 272-283. 

To extend the application area of silk proteins-based materials, blending the fibroin with other natural macromolecules and synthetic polymers, or even manufacturing composites with silk fibers are a few of the possible strategies. 

Ferrari F, CappeUo J (1997) In McGrath KP, Kaplan DL (eds) Protein-based materials. Birkhauser, Boston, p 37... 

Protein-based materials have also been abundantly discussed in other publications [ZHA08], The next section of this chapter is, therefore, primarily oriented toward one example of an agropolymer starch. World production of starch-based materials for bioplastic applications is far from negligible. Put differently, it is greater than or ecpral to that of PLA. 

Dong, Q.-Y Chen, M.-Y Xin, Y Qin, X.-Y Cheng, Z. Shi, L.-E. Tang, Z.-X., Alginate-based and protein-based materials for probiotics encapsulation A review. International Journal of Food Science and Technology (2013) 48,1339-1351. 

Protein-based materials such as polypeptone, soy protein, milk proteins, and gelatin derivatives are able to form stable emulsions with hydrophobic compounds. However, their solubilities in cold water, the potential to react with carbonyls, and their high cost limit potential applications. 

Proteins or amino acids are the major constituents present in natural tissues and they are well known for their controlled natural degradation ability. Such protein-based materials are especially useful in suturing applications, for scaffold... 

Kaplan, D.L. Mello, C. Eossey, S. Arcidiacono, S. Muller, W., Silks. In Protein-Based Materials. Birkahuser, Boston, (1998). 

D. W. Urry, C. H. Harris, and T. Parker, Protein-based materials, K. McGathm D. Kaplan, Eds., Birkhauser, Boston, 1977. 

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