Physical, Mechanical, and Antimicrobial Properties of Edible Film Produced from Defatted Soybean Meal Fermented by Bacillus subtilis

In order to extend the shelf-life of packaged or coated foods, an antibacterial edible film was developed from soybean meal that had been fermented with Bacillus subtilis under the optimum condition of pH 7.0-7.5 and $33^{\circ}C$ for 33 h. The water vapor permeability of the fermented film ($86.0 mg/cm^2{\cdot}h$) was higher than those of normal soybean films ($66.9 mg/cm^2{\cdot}h$). Protein solubility of the fermented film was also higher than ordinary soy protein film at the pH range of 3 -10. The fermented soybean film had higher tensile strength and lower $\%$ elongation (elongation rate) than the ordinary soybean film, mainly because partial hydrolysis of proteins in the soybean film occurred during fermentation. Antimicrobial properties of the fermented film on foodstuffs were measured by placing the films on surime, jerked beef, and mashed sausage media; containing $10^2-10^3$ CFU/plate of foodborne pathogenic bacteria, and showed significantly higher inhibitory effects on the growths of all the indicating bacteria. The film could be used as a packaging material in the food industry. However, before direct application of the fermented film to the commercial food industry, its poor mechanical and antibacterial properties need to be improved.