Bioplastics made from egg white protein show significant antibacterial properties

03-Apr-15

Bioplastics made from protein sources such as albumin and whey have shown significant antibacterial properties, findings that could eventually lead to their use in plastics used in medical applications such as wound healing dressings, sutures, catheter tubes and drug delivery, according to a recent study by the University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences. As per phys.org, the bioplastic materials could also be used for food packaging. Researchers tested three non traditional bioplastic materials—albumin, whey and soy proteins—as alternatives to conventional petroleum-based plastics that pose risks of contamination. In particular, albumin, a protein found in egg whites, demonstrated tremendous antibacterial properties when blended with a traditional plasticizer such as glycerol. The next step in the research involves a deeper analysis of the albumin-based bioplastic's potential for use in the biomedical and food packaging fields.