Development and characterization of “Greek Salad” edible films

“Greek salad” edible films, made from tomato puree, juices of cucumber, bell pepper and onion, oregano oil and apple pectin with and without olive oil and guar gum were successfully prepared and characterized for water vapor permeability, oxygen permeability, tensile properties, moisture sorption isotherm, heat sealing ability and color. It was found that the addition of olive oil to the basic film increased its water vapor permeability, while the incorporation of guar gum had no impact on it. The addition of olive oil and guar gum affected the tensile properties, the isotherms for moisture sorption and the color of the films. All films demonstrated good heat-sealing properties. The FTIR spectra of the films displayed several interesting characteristics, confirming the films’ composition. The sensory evaluation of the four edible films revealed that all samples scored close to or above 3 (on a scale of 0–5) in most sensory attributes, indicating general acceptability among panelists. Notably, films containing guar gum exhibited higher homogeneity and transparency, while films containing olive oil showed the highest odor, flavor, and taste intensities, but also more pronounced defects and undesirable aftertastes. The basic film appeared more balanced in most sensory attributes.

It was concluded that overall the advantages of adding olive oil and guar gum to the basic film were not significant. Future experiments will concentrate on optimizing the production of the basic film and exploring the possibility of using it for packaging oily foods.