Edible film of native jicama starch, agarwood Aetoxylon Bouya essential oil and calcium propionate: Processing, mechanical, thermal properties and structure.

The objective of this study was to determine the properties of natural jicama starch and edible film made from the starch. The film was prepared by adding agarwood aetoxylon bouya essential oil and calcium propionate to investigate its properties as an edible coating for fruit or vegetables. The microstructure of the edible film was observed using scanning electron microscopy. The three main materials mostly had significant effects (P < 0.05) on the properties of the sample films, and starch film incorporating essential oil‑calcium propionate showed optimum properties as an edible coating material because it had the highest elongation of 10.81%, the lowest stiffness with a Young's modulus of about 2.53 MPa, the lowest of water vapor transmission rate and permeability of 0.117 g h m and 3.092 g mm h m kPa, respectively, and the lowest weight loss of 75.30%. It was also found that the microstructure of starch-essential oil‑calcium propionate film had a homogeneous surface and the presence of essential oil droplets was not visible.