Underutilized finger millet crop for starch extraction, characterization, and utilization in the development of flexible thin film.

Three different varieties of finger millets (VL-315, VL-324, and VL-347) cultivated in Uttrakhand, India, were used to extract high purity starch using the alkali soaking approach and investigated physicochemical and structural properties. VL-315, VL-324, and VL-347, contain 78 ± 0.35%, 79 ± 0.35%, and 87 ± 0.35% starch, respectively, of which 39.03 ± 0.35%, 37.2 ± 0.35%, and 33.5 ± 0.35% are the amylose contents, respectively. Chemical composition analysis exhibited the level of ash and moisture content in the dry basis of 0.0031 ± 0.01% to 0.035 ± 0.05%, and 12.52 ± 0.8% to 12.92 ± 0.2%, respectively. The solubility and swelling range of VL-315 is 1.3-4.3% and 16.54-10.3 (g/g), respectively, which significantly differ from VL-324 and VL-347. XRD analysis revealed that extracted starch showed a typical A-type crystalline network with a crystallinity range of 17.7-19.3%, which remarkably influenced retro gradation tendencies of starch. SEM demonstrated that extracted starch granules are polyhedral shape with a smooth surface. Finger millet starch has enormous potential in the development of starch-based edible film and coating on food items. In the present work, extracted finger millet starch was studied with the aim of developing a thin and flexible food packaging film. From the results, it was observed that the fabricated films had excellent functional properties, including solubility, swelling index, and water vapor permeability, which could eliminate petroleum-based packaging materials, and gives food materials an extra shelf life, and improve overall food quality.