Filaments made from milk protein

A flexible and high tensile strength filament having a diameter of from 80 microns to 2,000 microns and tensile strength of from 30 MPa to 80 MPa, the filament made by

• (a) forming a composition comprising:
• from 30 wt. % to 60 wt. % of a casein-based protein selected from the group consisting of milk protein concentrate, calcium caseinate, and sodium caseinate,
• from 40 wt. % to 65 wt. % of a plasticizer;
• and
• from 0.1 wt % to 0.35 wt % of a hydrocolloid, wherein the weight-to-weight ratio of the hydrocolloid to the casein-based protein is from 1:85 to 1:600;
• (b) extruding the composition through a twin-screw extruder fixed with a 5-hole, 2.3 mm die head, wherein the extruder operates at a melt pressure of from 350 psi to 600 psi and a temperature of from 175° Fahrenheit to 210° Fahrenheit;
• and
• (c) depositing the extruded composition onto a conveyer, wherein the conveyer operates at a speed from 42 feet per minute to 80 feet per minute to draw down the filament to a diameter of from 80 microns to 2,000 microns and thereby form the flexible and high tensile strength filament.

A flexible and high tensile strength filament having a diameter of from 80 microns to 1,000 microns and tensile strength of from 30 MPa to 80 MPa, the filament made by

• (a) forming a composition comprising:
• from 30 wt. % to 60 wt. % of a casein-based protein selected from the group consisting of milk protein concentrate, calcium caseinate, and sodium caseinate, from 40 wt. % to 65 wt. % of a plasticizer;
• and
• from 0.1 wt % to 0.35 wt % of a hydrocolloid, wherein the weight-to-weight ratio of the hydrocolloid to the casein-based protein is from 1:85 to 1:600;
• (b) extruding the composition through a twin-screw extruder fixed with an 8-hole, 1.4 mm die head, wherein the extruder operates at a melt pressure of from 100 psi to 180 psi and a temperature of from 150° Fahrenheit to 200° Fahrenheit;
• and
• (c) depositing the extruded composition onto a conveyer, wherein the conveyer operates at a speed from 42 feet per minute to 80 feet per minute to draw down the filament to a diameter of from 80 microns to 1,000 microns and thereby form the flexible and high tensile strength filament.