Optimization of Iranian golpar (Heracleum persicum) extract encapsulation using sage (Salvia macrosiphon) seed gum: chitosan as a wall materials and its effect on the shelf life of soybean oil during storage

Characterizing the antioxidant and antifungal properties of nano-encapsulated pistachio hull extract in fenugreek seed gum to maintain the quality and safety of fresh pistachio

The quality of pistachio, one of the export products of Iran, will be decreased during storage as a result of mold spoilage, toxins production, and oil oxidation. This study aimed to investigate the capability of pistachio hull extract (PHE) loaded in fenugreek seed gum (FSG):whey protein isolate (WPI) nanoemulsion to control oil oxidation, and fungi growth in fresh pistachio nut during storage at 4°C. The total anthocyanin and total phenolic content of the PHE were 125.44 μg/g and 675.18 mg/g, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of PHE at 100 ppm was higher than that of tert-butylhydroquinon (TBHQ). In comparison with other concentrations, 50 ppm showed the strongest antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, and Aspergillus nomius. All nanoemulsions have a mean size lower than 265 nm. The polydispersity index (PDI) of different nanoemulsions was lower than 0.3, and a negative zeta potential was observed. The encapsulation efficiency was higher than 67.0% and all nanoemulsions had spherical morphology. The pistachio nuts were coated with different coating solutions containing 0 and 100 ppm of PHE and stored at 4°C for 8 weeks. The results showed that the pistachio sample coated with a composite coating of WPI and FSG containing 100 ppm of PHE has a higher moisture content and lower changes in L*, a*, and b* indexes, oil oxidation, fungi development, and total mold and yeast count. This treatment exhibited higher overall acceptance than other samples at the end of storage time. The results of this study suggest the use of biodegradable coatings enriched with natural extracts that have high antioxidant and antifungal activities.

Fabrication of biopolymer stabilized microcapsules for enhancing physicochemical stability, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of cinnamon essential oil

The current study entails the encapsulation validity to enclose naturally occurring food preservatives, such as cinnamon essential oil (CM), within various wall materials. This approach has demonstrated enhanced encapsulated compounds' stability, efficiency, and bioactivity. The base carrier system consisted of a solid lipid (Berry wax, RW) individually blended with whey protein (WYN), maltodextrin (MDN), and gum Arabic (GMC) as wall materials. The resulting formulations were freeze-dried: WYN/RW/CM, MDN/RW/CM, and GMC/RW/CM. The study comprehensively analyzed encapsulation efficiency, morphology, crystallinity, thermal, and physiochemical properties. When RW was combined with WYN, MDN, and GMC, the microcapsule WYN/RW/CM showed the highest efficiency at 93.4 %, while the GMC/RW/CM exhibited the highest relative crystallinity at 46.54 %. Furthermore, the investigation assessed storage stability, release of bioactive compounds, and oxidative stability during storage at 4 °C/ 25 % RH ± 5 % and 25 °C/40 % RH ± 5 % for 55 days, revealing optimal stability in the WYN/RW/CM microcapsule. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity was assessed at various concentrations of microcapsules, revealing their inhibitory effect against Escherichia coli (gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive) bacteria. The WYN/RW/CM microcapsule exhibited the highest inhibition activity in both strains, reaching 40 mm. This study demonstrates that combining WYN with RW as a wall material has greater efficiency in encapsulation and potential uses in various industrial sectors.

Applications of Plant Bioactive Compounds as Replacers of Synthetic Additives in the Food Industry

According to the Codex Alimentarius, a food additive is any substance that is incorporated into a food solely for technological or organoleptic purposes during the production of that food. Food additives can be of synthetic or natural origin. Several scientific evidence (in vitro studies and epidemiological studies like the controversial Southampton study published in 2007) have pointed out that several synthetic additives may lead to health issues for consumers. In that sense, the actual consumer searches for "Clean Label" foods with ingredient lists clean of coded additives, which are rejected by the actual consumer, highlighting the need to distinguish synthetic and natural codded additives from the ingredient lists. However, this natural approach must focus on an integrated vision of the replacement of chemical substances from the food ingredients, food contact materials (packaging), and their application on the final product. Hence, natural plant alternatives are hereby presented, analyzing their potential success in replacing common synthetic emulsifiers, colorants, flavorings, inhibitors of quality-degrading enzymes, antimicrobials, and antioxidants. In addition, the need for a complete absence of chemical additive migration to the food is approached through the use of plant-origin bioactive compounds (e.g., plant essential oils) incorporated in active packaging.

Storage Stability of Spray- and Freeze-Dried Chitosan-Based Pickering Emulsions Containing Roasted Coffee Oil: Color Evaluation, Lipid Oxidation, and Volatile Compounds

Drying Pickering o/w emulsions has been considered as a promising strategy to produce oil microcapsules, as long as their quality parameters can be preserved over storage. In this sense, it is shown as an interesting alternative to preserve the quality of roasted coffee oil, a valuable agroindustrial byproduct. Thus, freeze- and spray-dried chitosan-based Pickering emulsions of roasted coffee oil were evaluated over 30 days of storage at 25 °C together with the non-encapsulated oil as a control. Water sorption isotherms were determined, whereas color, oxidative stability (peroxide value and conjugated dienes) and volatile compounds were assessed over the storage period. Type II isotherms and Guggenheim–Anderson–Boer (GAB) model parameters showed that water binding was impaired by the surface oil in freeze-dried samples. Oxidation was maintained under acceptable values over the storage for all samples, with slightly higher protection also observed for volatile compounds in the spray-dried particles. The powdered emulsions were able to suitably preserve the oil’s quality over 30 days of storage, enabling its commercialization and application as a food ingredient and potential flavoring.

Impact of alginate coating combined with free and nanoencapsulated Carum copticum essential oil on rainbow trout burgers

Carum copticum essential oil (CEO) is known as a valuable active food and pharmaceutical ingredient with antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Solid lipid nanoparticles incorporated with CEO can overcome their limitations, namely low physicochemical stability and water solubility. In the current study, the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of free and nanoencapsulated CEO were measured. The results revealed that although the nanoparticles of CEO had higher DPPH radical scavenging activity compared to free CEO, the antimicrobial activity of free CEO toward Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes was higher than nanoparticles. Fish burger samples coated with free and nanoencapsulated CEO and stored for 12 days at 4°C. Alginate coating without CEO was considered as a control sample. The mean zeta potential, particle size, and polydispersity index (PDI) of nanoparticles were 19.18 ± 0.9 mV, 286.5 ± 18.2 nm, and 0.32 ± 0.01, respectively. The results revealed that lipid oxidation, microbial growth, and production of total volatile basic nitrogen in fish burger samples coated with alginate enriched with nanoencapsulated CEO were lower than free CEO. The main volatile compounds of CEO were para-cymene, γ-terpinene, and thymol, which were responsible for the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of CEO. The data obtained by the current study suggest the application of alginate coating with CEO in form of nanoparticle to enhance fish burgers' shelf life stored at 4°C.

Evaluation of antioxidant properties of nanoencapsulated sage (Salvia officinalis L.) extract in biopolymer coating based on whey protein isolate and Qodumeh Shahri (Lepidium perfoliatum) seed gum to increase the oxidative stability of sunflower oil

Sage leaf extract (SLE) is considered an excellent source of bioactive compounds mainly because of its high content of phenolics, widely known as natural antioxidants. This study aimed to compare the performance of free/encapsulated SLE by different coatings in protecting sunflower oil against oxidative deterioration. The coating materials were whey protein isolate and qodumeh seed gum at different ratios (1:0, 1:1, and 0:1). Each nanocapsule was analyzed for particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, phenolics release, and SEM images. The total phenolic compounds of SLE were 31.12 mg GA/g. The antioxidant activity of SLE was increased in both DPPH and FRAP assays by increasing extract concentration from 50 to 250 ppm. All nanoparticles exhibited nanometric size, negative zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency higher than 60%, and gradual release during storage. The oxidative stability of sunflower oil with or without the incorporation of 250 ppm of free/encapsulated SLE was evaluated during 24 days of storage at 60°C. Peroxide value (PV), thiobarbituric acid value (TBA), oxidative stability index (OSI), color index (CI), and conjugated dienes (CD) were determined. COPM nanoparticles showed the lowest PV, TBA, CI, and CD but both SGUM and WHEY were more effective in delaying oil oxidation than TBHQ and free extract. Higher OSI was observed in oil-containing nanoparticles with composite coating. Results obtained reinforce the use of whey protein isolate and qodumeh seed gum as a coating for encapsulating SLE to increase the shelf life of sunflower oil as a natural antioxidant.

Nano-fertilizers: A sustainable technology for improving crop nutrition and food security

Excessive use of synthetic fertilizers cause economic burdens, increasing soil, water and atmospheric pollution. Nano-fertilizers have shown great potential for their sustainable uses in soil fertility, crop production and with minimum or no environmental tradeoffs. Nano-fertilizers are of submicroscopic sizes, have a large surface area to volume ratio, can have nutrient encapsulation, and greater mobility hence they may increase plant nutrient access and crop yield. Due to these properties, nano-fertilizers are regarded as deliverable 'smart system of nutrients'. However, the problems in the agroecosystem are broader than existing developments. For example, nutrient delivery in different physicochemical properties of soils, moisture, and other agro-ecological conditions is still a challenge. In this context, the present review provides an overview of various uses of nanotechnology in agriculture, preference of nano-fertilizers over the conventional fertilizers, nano particles formation, mobility, and role in heterogeneous soils, with special emphasis on the development and use of chitosan-based nano-fertilizers.

Encapsulation of bougainvillea ( Bougainvillea spectabilis ) flower extract in Urtica dioica L. seed gum: Characterization, antioxidant/antimicrobial properties, and in vitro digestion

Bougainvillea spectabilis extract (BSE), a rich source of bioactive compounds like phenolic, flavonoid, and anthocyanin, was used for encapsulation with Urtica dioica L. seed gum. The extract was obtained using shaking, bath, and probe ultrasound. The results showed that probe ultrasound extract was more efficient, as reflected by the higher value of total phenolic (4354.15 mg GAE/100 g FW), flavonoid (2431.25 mg CE/100 g FW), and anthocyanin content (106.57 mg CGE/100 g FW). BSE was encapsulated in U. dioica L. seed gum at 1:1 and 1:2 core to coating ratio. In both DPPH radical scavenging and FRAP assay, higher antioxidant activity was observed in the encapsulated extract than in the free extract. Encapsulated extracts exhibited 87.9 nm average diameter (polydispersity index below 0.23) and negative zeta potential. The average minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of nanoparticles against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica was 112.5, 87.5, 112.5, and 87.5 μg/ml, respectively, while MIC of the free extract against S. aureus and E. coli was 150 and 125 μg/ml, respectively. The phenolic compounds are gradually released from the nanoparticles in the gastric and small intestine phase, whereas free extract released phenolic compounds quickly after entering the gastric phase. Considering antioxidant/antimicrobial activity and release properties, nanoparticles with a 1:1 ratio of core to coating had the potential to use as an effective natural preservative agent in food products besides the delivery of bioactive compounds to the human body.

Phenolic profile and antioxidant activity of free/bound phenolic compounds of sesame and properties of encapsulated nanoparticles in different wall materials

This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of free and bound flavonoid or phenolic compounds extracted from the sesame seed (Oltan and Yekta varieties) as natural antioxidants and to demonstrate the properties of nanoparticles. The total phenolic content (TPC) of Oltan was higher (864.70 mg GAE/100 g seed) than that of Yekta (629.23 mg GAE/100 g seed). Oltan took up higher amounts of free (516.86 mg GAE/100 g seed) and bound (347.83 mg GAE/100 g seed) phenolics than Yekta. Also, the Yekta variety exhibited lower amounts of free (45.89 mg CE/100 g seed) and bound flavonoids (21.51 mg CE/100 g seed) and the total flavonoid content (TFC) (67.40 mg CE/100 g seed). Chlorogenic acid was the major phenolic compound present in the sesame seed. In both the DPPH and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, the highest antioxidant activity was observed in the Oltan variety. Free phenolics showed the highest antioxidant activity, followed by bound phenolics, free and bound flavonoids. Therefore, free phenolics of the Oltan variety were encapsulated in Portulaca oleracea and Trigonella foenum-graecum seed gums. All nanoparticles showed nanometric size from 236.1 to 680.7 nm, negative zeta potential from -35.4 to -18.3 mV, high encapsulation efficiency from 61.35% to 74.49%, and desirable polydispersity index (PDI) between 0.315 and 0.332. Higher release of phenolics and sedimentation rate were observed in phenolic compounds encapsulated in Khorfeh and Shanbalileh, respectively. The gradual release of phenolic compounds, as well as sedimentation rate of composite coating during 40 days of storage, demonstrated that nanoencapsulated phenolics of sesame within the composite gum coating could be used as natural antioxidants in food systems.

Physicochemical properties, microstructure, and storage stability of Pulicaria jaubertii extract microencapsulated with different protein biopolymers and gum arabic as wall materials

This study aimed to evaluate the possibility of using gum arabic (GA) with different protein materials namely whey protein isolate (WP), sodium caseinate (SC), and soybean protein (SP) as wall materials to encapsulate Pulicaria jaubertii extract (PJ) using freeze-drying. Four formulations of microencapsulation of Pulicaria jaubertii extract (MPJE) were produced, including WPGA-MPJE, SCGA-MPJE, SPGA-MPJE, and GA-MPJE. The formulations were stored at 4 °C and 25 °C for 28 days to assess the storage stability. The results indicated that mixtures of proteins with GA improved the physicochemical properties and bioactive content of the MPJE compared to GA-MPJE. The SCGA-MPJE formula showed optimal values of particle size (450.13 nm), polydispersity index (0.33), zeta potential (74.63 mV), encapsulation efficiency (91.07%), total phenolic content (25.51 g GAE g^-1 capsules), and antioxidants compounds, as well as presented a lower release of bioactive composites with high oxidative stability during storage at 4 °C and 25 °C. The microstructure of MPJE formulations showed a flat surface without any visible cracking on surfaces. The microcapsules prepared from protein mixtures with GA, especially the SCGA-MPJE formula, are the most efficient in encapsulating the plant extract derived from the PJ, which could be useful for application in various industrial fields.