Rheological behaviour of carboxymethylcellulose produced from lemon peel cellulose and its use in fruit coating films as hydrophile polymer

Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), one of the most important derivatives of cellulose, is a typical anionic polysaccharide. CMC is widely used in the detergent, food, paper, textile, pharmaceutical and paint industries as thickener or a flocculating agent.The effects of temperature and concentration on the viscosity of cellulose from lemon peel were examined at different temperatures (20, 30, 40, 50, 60 oC) and concentration levels (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 kg/m3). The behaviour of the concentration and temperature dependences of the viscosity of cellulose from lemon peel are discussed in light of the various theoretical models describing the combined effects of temperature and concentration on the viscosity.The rheological characterizations of carboxymethylcellulose from lemon peel cellulose was studied at differents temperatures (10-50 oC) and concentrations (10-35 kg/m3), using a rotational viscometer.The power law with two parameters, Bingham and Casson models with two parameters plus the yield stress were used to predict the flow behaviour of carboxymethyl cellulose. The power model provided a good estimation of the rheological behaviour of carboxymethyl cellulose at different temperatures and concentrations. The consistency coefficient was temperature and concentration-dependent. It was found that the flow behaviour of carboxymethyl cellulose solutions was found to be pseudoplastic. The equations for the combined effect of temperature and concentration on the apparent viscosity of carboxymethyl cellulose was developed. This equations obtained in this study may be used to estimate the changes in the viscosity of carboxymethylcellulose from lemon peel in the range of temperatures and concentrations studied.Apple, pear and mandarins were coated with film emulsions having carboxymethylcellulos from lemon peel to determine the effcet of coating on the shelf-life of fruits such as apple, pear and mandarins. It was found that coatings were effective in reducing the loss of weight.