Introduction

IN recent years, there has been increased interest in edible film research, partic-ularly in the development of free-standing films and coatings derived from proteins (Gennadios et al., 1994). The driving forces behind this interest can be attributed to elevated demands for high-quality food products, scientific advances in new functionalities of food components, and increased public concern for environmental conservation and protection (Chen, 1995; Miller and Krochta, 1997). The promise of edible protein materials in food packaging applications arises from their capability to supplement, and possibly improve, the performance of existing synthetic packaging polymers while reducing environmental impacts (Krochta and De Mulder-Johnston, 1997).