Fig. 3B shows the tensile parameters (max, εmaxand Young’sModulus) obtained from the specimens studied. As may beobserved, the presence of polysaccharide generally yields an appar-ent enhancement of tensile properties, particularly for MC and CMC-containing probes. All the three parameters follow the samegeneral trend: Reference < LBG < MC < CMC. However, no significant differences were found for max, and εmax between the reference and LBG-containing probes. These results are in a good agreement with those reported by Zhou, Zheng, Wei, Huang, and Chen (2008)for thermomechanically processed soya-based bioplastic contain-ing 5 wt% MC. According to these authors, the miscibility betweenprotein components and polysaccharide were responsible for theimprovement of the strength and even resulted in the simultane-ous enhancement of strength and elongation. However, an increasein MC (above 5 wt%) produces a decrease in εmaxand max. These authors explained such behaviour in terms of strong aggregations between crystalline domains inside the protein matrix and, subse-quently, outside of this.Under the experimental conditions selected in this work, bothbiopolymers (MC and CMC) have a synergistic effect on themechanical properties of the protein based bioplastic materials.Polysaccharide molecules seem to interact with protein chainsaltering the rigid structure of gluten and causing a reduction ofhydrogen bonds among protein molecules, if compared to thepolysaccharide-free system, replaced by protein/polysaccharideinteractions.Even though MC and CMC seem to act as fillers, as may bededuce from the higher Young’s Modulus values obtained, theyare able to exhibit more compatibility with the protein matrixaltering hydrogen bonds and preventing the formation of strongbonds after material thermo-moulding, which could explain theobserved increase in εmax. In this sense, previous studies havereported that after heat treatment the electrical charges of the components may lead to different microstructures within theprotein–polysaccharide complex. A continuous protein networkcan be formed with polysaccharide inclusions; thereby strength-ening the composite, if they are electrically compatible and the attractive forces between the protein and anionic polysaccharide prevail (Zaleska et al., 2000). On the other hand, as reported by Parris et al. (1995) or Coughlan et al. (2004) an electrical incom-patibility between both components may lead to a decrease in intermolecular interaction between the components (protein and polysaccharide).