The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a combination of zinc oxide (ZnO-N) nanoparticles and fennel essential oil (FEO) on the functional and antimicrobial properties of potato starch films. Films based on potato starch containing a combination of ZnO-N (1, 3, and 5%(w/w)) and FEO (1, 2, and 3% (w/w)) produced by casting method and water solubility, water absorption capacity (WAC), barrier properties, mechanical properties, color indexes, and antimicrobial activity of the films against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Aspergillus flavus were studied. The combination of ZnO-N and FEO had a significant decreasing effect on solubility, WAC, water vapor and oxygen permeability, elongation, and L* index. These additives had an increasing impact on tensile strength, Yang's modulus, and a* and b* indexes (p
Nigella sativa, commonly known as the black seed, is a culinary spice therapeutic against many ailments. Common preparation practice of roasting or heating the seeds often deteriorates bioactive compounds, which can be remedied with superheated steam (SHS). With roasting temperatures of 150, 200, and 250°C and roasting times of 10, 15, and 20 min, convection and SHS roasting media were tested, and their effects on proximate analysis, antioxidant assays, and oil quality were evaluated. For proximate content, moisture significantly decreased from 9.08% in unroasted seeds to 4.18%-1.04% in roasted seeds, while fat increased to as high as 44.76% from 32.87% in unroasted seeds. Roasting only slightly increased ash content and had no significant impact on protein and carbohydrate content. SHS roasted black seeds had better DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging capacity (RSC) than convection roasted seeds. DPPH RSC decreased with elevated roasting time and temperature, conversely related to total phenolic content, which increased with increased roasting time and temperature. Oil of roasted seeds developed an increasingly intense brown color from an initial light, yellow, unroasted oil with better extraction efficiency in SHS roasting. For oil quality analysis, free fatty acid values were significantly lower in both roasted samples. Peroxide value was initially recorded at 84 in convection and 48 (meq O2/kg of oil) in SHS roasted samples. In contrast, p-anisidine values were initially recorded at 28.36 in convection roasted samples compared to 23.73 in SHS roasted samples. Based on all quality analyses, SHS showed better potential in black seed quality preservation.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of nano-zinc oxide (ZnO-N) morphology on the functional and antimicrobial properties of tapioca starch films. For this reason, nanosphere (ZnO-ns), nanorod (ZnO-nr), and nanoparticle of ZnO (ZnO-np) at 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% were added to the starch film. Then, physicochemical, mechanical, and barrier properties were evaluated. Also, UV-visible and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra and antibacterial activity of prepared nanocomposite films against Escherichia coli were examined. The results revealed that the ZnO-ns had the most effects on mechanical, physicochemical, and barrier properties. The highest values of the tensile strength (14.15 MPa) and Young's modulus (32.74 MPa) and the lowest values of elongation at break (10.40%) were obtained in the films containing 2% of ZnO nanosphere. In terms of UV transmission, ZnO-nr showed the most significant impact morphology. FTIR spectra indicated that interactions for all morphologies were physical interaction, and there are no chemical reactions between starch structure and nanoparticles. The antibacterial effect of the ZnO-ns was higher than that of other morphologies. In summary, ZnO-ns was the best morphology for using ZnO-N in starch-based nanocomposite films.
In this study, the physicochemical, mechanical, and antimicrobial activities of polyethylene (PE) films coated with peppermint (Menthol) and Origanum vulgare (Carvacrol) essential oil were evaluated. For this reason, PE films were coated with MC-HPMC solution containing different concentrations of menthol and carvacrol (0, 1, 1.5, and 2%), and mechanical, electromagnetic, barrier, and antimicrobial properties of all prepared films were examined. The obtained results demonstrated that by increasing the concentration of menthol and carvacrol in film coatings, tensile strength (from 36 to 23 MPa), water vapor permeability (from 12 to 11 g.m-1s-1Pa-1), and L* and b* indexes were decreased, while the oxygen permeability (OP) and elongation at break significantly were increased (p
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dual modification on the functional, microstructural, and thermal properties of tapioca starch. Tapioca starch was first hydrolyzed by 0.14 M HCl for 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 hr and then hydroxypropylated by adding 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% (v/w) propylene oxide. The degree of hydroxypropylation, solubility, water absorption, rheological, thermal, and microstructure characterization of dually modified tapioca starch was determined. Hydroxypropylation did not cause any considerable changes in the starch granular size and shape of tapioca starch. Acid hydrolysis disrupts the starch granules, and the starches with smaller sizes were produced. The degree of molar substitution (DS) of dual modified starches ranged from 0.118 to 0.270. The dual modified starches significantly had higher solubility than native starch (p
The growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly food packaging has prompted research on innovative solutions to environmental and consumer health issues. To enhance the properties of smart packaging, the incorporation of bioactive compounds derived from various natural sources has attracted considerable interest because of their functional properties, including antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. However, extracting these compounds from natural sources poses challenges because of their complex chemical structures and low concentrations. Traditional extraction methods are often environmentally harmful, expensive and time-consuming. Thus, green extraction techniques have emerged as promising alternatives, offering sustainable and eco-friendly approaches that minimise the use of hazardous solvents and reduce environmental impact. This review explores cutting-edge research on the green extraction of bioactive compounds and their incorporation into smart packaging systems in the last 10 years. Then, an overview of bioactive compounds, green extraction techniques, integrated techniques, green extraction solvents and their application in smart packaging was provided, and the impact of bioactive compounds incorporated in smart packaging on the shelf lives of food products was explored. Furthermore, it highlights the challenges and opportunities within this field and presents recommendations for future research, aiming to contribute to the advancement of sustainable and efficient smart packaging solutions.
Fouling deposition in the coconut cream emulsion (CCE) is considered a severe technical issue in the industry. Since the fouling deposition results from the heating effect on the CCE bulk, the heat-induced structural changes in the CCE bulk at different temperatures were rheologically investigated in the first part of this study. The second part applied different heat treatment conditions to investigate generated fouling deposition (GFD). Chemical composition, FTIR, and SEM imaging were used to explore GFDs thoroughly. The increase in viscosity and storage modulus (G') reflect such heat-induced changes over the experimental conditions. More structural changes were predicted at around ≥85°C, accompanied by a sharp increase in viscosity and (G'), which was associated with the gelation of CCE. The conformational transition, fat agglomeration in CCE bulk, generated fouling deposits (GFDs) were significant around 70°C. The chemical composition of the GFD has shown an increasing trend in the protein, carbohydrates, and ash, meanwhile fluctuation in the fat contents with increasing temperature. The FTIR peaks showed novel peaks around temperature ≥85°C, which implied new amide groups or new protein conformation. The SEM images provided the different microstructures of GFDs at high-temperature levels. More likely the GFDs appeared at temperature ≥85°C are a gel deposit layer. These findings strongly suggest that emulsion gelation was the primary cause of coconut cream fouling.
Coronaviruses, which have been enveloped nonsegmented positive-sense RNA viruses, were first mentioned in the mid-1960s and can attack people as well as a wide range of animals (including mammals and birds). Three zoonotic coronaviruses have been identified as the cause of large-scale epidemics over the last two decades: Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and swine acute diarrhea syndrome (SADS). Epithelial cells in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract are the principal targeted cells, and viral shedding occurs via these systems in diverse ways such as through fomites, air, or feces. Patients infected with the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) reported having visited the Wuhan seafood wholesale market shortly before disease onset. The clinical data on established 2019-nCoV cases reported so far indicate a milder disease course than that described for patients with SARS-CoV or MERS-CoV. This study aimed to review radiation inactivation of these viruses in the food industry in three sections: visible light, ionizing radiation (alpha ray, beta ray, X-ray, gamma ray, neutron, plasma, and ozone), and nonionizing radiation (microwave, ultraviolet, infrared, laser light, and radiofrequency). Due to the obvious possibility of human-to-human and animal-to-human transmission, using at least one of these three methods in food processing and packaging during coronavirus outbreaks will be critical for preventing further outbreaks at the community level.
Current environmental concerns fostered a strong interest in extracting polymers from renewable feedstocks. Chitosan, a second most abundant polysaccharide after cellulose, may prove to be a promising green material owing to its renewability, inherent biodegradablity, natural availability, non-toxicity, and ease of modification. This review is intended to comprehensively overview the recent developments on the isolation of chitosan from chitin, its modification and applications as a reinforcing candidate for food packaging materials, emphasizing the scientific underpinnings arising from its physicochemical properties, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antifungal activities. We review various chitosan-reinforced composites reported in the literature and comprehensively present intriguing mechanical and other functional properties. We highlight the contribution of these mechanically robust and responsive materials to extend the shelf-life and maintain the qualities of a wide range of food commodities. Finally, we assess critical challenges and highlight future opportunities towards understanding the versatile applications of chitosan nanocomposites.
Fat-soluble vitamins (FSVs) offer a range of beneficial properties as important nutrients in human nutrition. However, the high susceptibility to environmental conditions such as high temperature, light, and oxygen leads to the degradation of these compounds. This review highlights the different formulations underlying the encapsulation of FSVs in biopolymer (polysaccharide and protein) and lipid-based micro or nanocarriers for potential applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. In particular, the function of these carrier systems in terms of encapsulation efficiency, stability, bioavailability, and bio-accessibility is critically discussed. Recently, tremendous attention has been paid to encapsulating FSVs in commercial applications. According to the chemical nature of the active compound, the vigilant selection of delivery formulation, method of encapsulation, and final application (type of food) are the key important factors to be considered in the encapsulation of FSVs to ensure a high loading capacity, stability, bioavailability, and bio-accessibility. Future studies are recommended on the effect of different vitamin types and micro and nano encapsulate sizes on bioaccessibility and biocompatibility through in vitro/in vivo studies. Moreover, the toxicity and safety evaluation of encapsulated FSVs in human health should be evaluated before commercial application in food and pharmaceuticals.
In this study, a pH-sensitive indicator based on fish gelatin and Coleus scutellarioides anthocyanin extract (CSAE) was prepared and characterized. Films were prepared using the solvent casting method and different levels of CSAE, including 10 ml (CSG1), 20 ml (CSG2), and 30 ml (CSG3), and 0 ml (CSG0) as a control sample. The mechanical, optical, and pH sensing of active films and the release of anthocyanins from the films were investigated. The relationship between the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) of fish fillets and a* color index of films was studied. By incorporation of CSAE, the flexibility of films increased, while the tensile strength and UV-Vis light transmittance through the films decreased (p
In this study a novel biodegradable edible film based on Alyssum homolocarpum seed gum (AHSG) was fabricated and characterized. Glycerol at three levels (25, 35, and 45% based on dried AHSG) as plasticizer were added. The microstructure and barrier, electromagnetic, mechanical, and thermal properties of the film were characterized. Results showed that permeability to both oxygen and water vapor, increased as the plasticizer content increased from 25 to 45%. The mechanical properties of AHSG films were comparable to those of polysaccharide films. Results showed that the glycerol content significantly decreased the glass-transition temperature of the film. The color measurement indicated that increasing the plasticizer content augmented the b* and L* values. Results of the field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed a uniform and smooth surface morphology and an absence of phase separation among the film compositions. The findings demonstrated that AHSG has the potential to fabricate edible films with enhanced quality characteristics.
Edible duck feet gelatin (DFG)-based biocomposites with different glycerol (GLY) contents (15%, 25%, and 35% of dried DFG) were prepared. Physicochemical, mechanical, barrier, and heat seal properties of DFG films were characterized and compared as an alternative to bovine gelatin film. Increasing glycerol from 15 to 35% decreased the TS and YM and EB and HS increased, in value of 42.54-7.27 and 1240-157.10MPa and 22.82-50.33% and 42.06-347.15N/m respectively. The water vapor permeability (WVP) and oxygen permeability (OP) of films were increased from 4.78 to 5.6×10-11gm-1Pa-1s-1 and from 3.97 to 33.99cm3mμ/m2 d kPa respectively. GAB model estimations showed monolayer water content of films increased with the increase of plasticizer content. Moisture sorption isotherm modelling exhibited a type II BET classification. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra showed shifted peak at approximately 1024cm-1, which was related to glycerol. The results show that the properties of DFG film are suitable for use as an alternative material to bovine gelatin film.
The aim of this study was to develop sago starch-based bionanocomposite films containing TiO2 nanoparticles and Penganum harmala extract (PE) to increase the shelf life of chicken fillets. First, sago starch films containing different levels of TiO2 nanoparticles (1, 3, and 5%) and PE (5, 10, and 15%) were prepared. The barrier properties and antibacterial activity of the films against different bacteria strains were investigated. Then, the produced films were used for the chicken fillets packaging, and the physicochemical and antimicrobial properties of fillets were estimated during 12-day storage at 4 °C. The results showed that the addition of nano TiO2 and PE in the films increased the antibacterial activity against gram-positive (S. aureus) higher than gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria. The water vapor permeability of the films decreased from 2.9 to 1.26 (×10-11 g/m·s·Pa) by incorporating both PE and nano TiO2. Synergistic effects of PE and nano TiO2 significantly decreased the oxygen permeability of the sago starch films from 8.17 to 4.44 (cc.mil/m2·day). Application results of bionanocomposite films for chicken fillet storage at 4 °C for 12 days demonstrated that the films have great potential to increase the shelf life of fillets. The total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) of chicken fillets increased from 7.34 to 35.28 after 12 days, whereas samples coated with bionanocomposite films increased from 7.34 to 16.4. For other physicochemical and microbiological properties of chicken fillets, similar improvement was observed during cold storage. It means that the bionanocomposite films could successfully improve the shelf life of the chicken fillets by at least eight days compared to the control sample.
In the current study, fish gelatin-based nanofiber mats were embedded with different bioactive agents (BAs) such as cinnamaldehyde (CEO), limonene (LEO), and eugenol (EEO) at 1, 3, and 5% via electrospinning, and their effects on the morphological, structural, mechanical, thermal, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and bread packaging properties of the mats were evaluated. The gelatin mats presented different physicochemical properties due to the inherent differences in the chemical structure of the added BAs and their interaction with the gelatin chains. The conductivity, surface tension, and viscosity of gelatin dopes changed with the presence of the BAs, yet the electrospun nanofibers showed defect-free uniform morphology as confirmed by electron microscopy, with no significant change in the chemical structure of gelatin. The melting temperature of gelatin mats remained in the range of 187-197°C. The mats presented lower tensile strength and elongation at break by the addition of BAs compared with the pristine gelatin mat. The highest radical scavenging (90%) was yielded by mats with EEO, while mats with CEO depicted better antibacterial activity with an inhibition zone of 18.83 mm. However, a dose-dependent increase in the antifungal properties was noticed for all the mats. The mats retained almost 50% of BAs after 60 days of storage at 45% relative humidity. Electrospun gelatin mats inhibited the aerobic bacteria (81%) and yeast and molds (61%) in preservative-free bread after 10 days of storage.
The aim of this study was development a composite film based on sago starch and κ-carrageenan to find a gelatin alternative in the pharmaceutical capsules processing. Hydrolyzed-Hydroxypropylated (dually modified) sago starch was mixed with κ-carrageenan (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1%). The drying kinetics, thermomechanical, physicochemical, and barrier properties of composite films were estimated and compared with bovine gelatin. Results show that drying kinetics and mechanical properties of the composite films were comparable to those of gelatin. The water vapor permeability and moisture content of the composite films were lower than those of gelatin. The solubility of the composite films was higher than that of gelatin, and the composite films were more stable at higher relative humidity than were the gelatin films. These results show that dually modified sago starch in combination with κ-carrageenan has properties similar to those of gelatin, thus proposed system can be used in pharmaceutical capsules processes.
A novel intelligent pH-sensing indicator based on gelatin film and anthocyanin extracted from dragon fruit skin (Hylocereus polyrhizus) (DFSE) as a natural dye was developed to monitor food freshness by the casting method. Anthocyanin content of DFSE was 15.66 ± 1.59 mg/L. Dragon fruit bovine gelatin films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and observed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Moisture content, mechanical properties, water solubility, water vapor permeability (WVP), light transmittance, color, and pH-sensing evaluations were evaluated for potential application. FTIR spectroscopy revealed that the extracted anthocyanin could interact with the other film components through hydrogen bonds. When the extract was added, films showed a smooth and clear surface as observed by SEM. The addition of anthocyanin increased the moisture content, thickness, and water solubility of the films, but decreased the WVP and light transmittance of films. Also, the incorporation of 15% v/v DFSE decreased the tensile strength from 17.04 to 12.91 MPa, increasing the elongation at break from 91.19% to 107.86%. The films showed higher ΔE with increasing DFSE content, which indicated that the film had good color variability. A significant difference in the color of the films was observed with exposure to different pH buffer solutions. The findings demonstrated that gelatin film incorporated with DFSE could be used as a visual indicator of pH variations to monitor the freshness of foods during storage time.
Composite sago starch-based system was developed and characterized with the aim to find an alternative to gelatin in the processing of pharmaceutical capsules. Dually modified (Hydrolyzed-Hydroxypropylated) sago starches were combined with κ-carrageenan (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1%). The rheological properties of the proposed composite system were measured and compared with gelatin as reference material. Results show that combination of HHSS12 (Hydrolysed-hydroxypropylated sago starch at 12h) with 0.5% κ-carrageenan was comparable to gelatin rheological behavior in pharmaceutical capsule processing. The solution viscosity at 50 °C and sol-gel transition of the proposed composite system were comparable to those of gelatin. The viscoelastic moduli (G' and G") for the proposed system were lower than those of gelatin. These results illustrate that by manipulation of the constituents of sago starch-based composite system, a suitable alternative to gelatin can be produced with comparable properties and this could find potential application in pharmaceutical capsule industry.
The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of active polyethylene film (PE) containing linalool and thymol active components on the microbial shelf life of mozzarella cheese. PE films containing different concentrations of linalool or thymol (0%, 1%, 1.5% and 2%) were prepared. The antimicrobial properties of the films were examined, and mozzarella cheese was packed with these active films. The antimicrobial properties of packed samples during 30 days of storage were studied. The obtained results from film tests showed that by increasing the concentration of active agents (linalool and thymol) in PE films, the antimicrobial activities of film samples against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria innocua, and Saccharomyces cervicea were increased. The cheese tests result demonstrated that mozzarella cheese packaging with PE films containing different concentrations of linalool and thymol leads to a decreased growth rate of molds and yeasts in cheeses. At the end of the storage period, the lowest number of molds and yeasts was for a sample packed in PE film containing 2% thymol, which increased from 1.00 to 1.21 Log CFU/g during the storage period. From E. coli and S. aureus contamination, the samples packed in active films were safe until the last day of storage (30th day), while the control sample was unacceptable at 17th day of storage. According to obtained results from this study, it was concluded that the addition of linalool and thymol active components to PE film had a positive effect on the extension of the mozzarella scheese shelf life.
The aim of this work was to fabricate an intelligent film using sago starch incorporated with the natural source of anthocyanins from the Bauhinia Kockiana flower and use it to monitor the freshness of coconut milk. The films were developed using the casting method that included the addition of the different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15 mg) of Bauhinia Kockiana extract (BKE) obtained using a solvent. The anthocyanin content of Bauhinia Kockiana was 262.17 ± 9.28 mg/100 g of fresh flowers. The spectral characteristics of BKE solutions, cross-section morphology, physiochemical, barrier, and mechanical properties, and the colour variations of films in different pH buffers were investigated. Films having the highest BKE concentration demonstrated the roughest structure and highest thickness (0.16 mm), moisture content (9.72 %), swelling index (435.83 %), water solubility (31.20 %), and elongation at break (262.32 %) compared to the other films. While monitoring the freshness of coconut milk for 16 h, BKE15 showed remarkable visible colour changes (from beige to dark brown), and the pH of coconut milk dropped from 6.21 to 4.56. Therefore, sago starch film incorporated with BKE has excellent potential to act as an intelligent pH film in monitoring the freshness of coconut milk.