Gum cordia as carrier of antioxidants: effects on lipid oxidation of peanuts

Recent Developments in Smart Food Packaging Focused on Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers

Food packaging has a crucial function in the modern food industry. New food packaging technologies seek to meet consumers and industrial's demands. Changes related to food production, sale practices and consumers' lifestyles, along with environmental awareness and the advance in new areas of knowledge (such as nanotechnology or biotechnology), act as driving forces to develop smart packages that can extend food shelf-life, keeping and supervising their innocuousness and quality and also taking care of the environment. This review describes the main concepts and types of active and intelligent food packaging, focusing on recent progress and new trends using biodegradable and biobased polymers. Numerous studies show the great possibilities of these materials. Future research needs to focus on some important aspects such as possibilities to scale-up, costs, regulatory aspects, and consumers' acceptance, to make these systems commercially viable.

Enhancing the Shelf-Life of Fresh Cassava Roots: A Field Evaluation of Simple Storage Bags

Postharvest physiological deterioration (PPD) of fresh cassava roots limits their shelf-life to about 48 h. There is a demand for simple, cheap, and logistically feasible solutions for extending the shelf life of fresh cassava roots in industrial processes. In this study, three different types of bag materials were tested, namely woven polypropylene, tarpaulin, and jute as a potential storage solution for cassava roots with different levels of mechanical damage. Microclimate related to temperature, humidity, and carbon di-oxide (CO2) was monitored in order to understand the storage conditions for up to 12 days. The results showed that fresh cassava roots could be stored for 8 days, with minimal PPD and starch loss (2.4%). However, roots with significant mechanical damage in the form of cuts and breakages had a considerably shorter shelf life in the storage bag, compared to whole roots and roots with retained stalk (peduncle) where roots are connected to the main plant. Wetting of the roots and bag material were not significant factors in determining the shelf life and starch loss. Carbon dioxide concentration in the stores was significantly correlated with the starch loss in fresh cassava roots and is proposed as a possible method for continuously and remotely monitoring starch loss in large-scale commercial operations and reducing postharvest losses.

Characterization of Novel Edible Films and Coatings for Food Preservation Based on Gum Cordia

As a pharmaceutical component, gum Cordia has been applied to improve crop resistance against many diseases. A large amount of gum appears around the fruit after soaking in an aqueous system. The mucilage possesses outstanding technofunctional properties as an emulsifier, thickening agent, and binding and stabilizing component in food and drug industries. The backbone of gum Cordia is composed of (1-2)-linked L-arabinofuranosyl and (1–6)-linked D-glucopyranosyl residues. This manuscript reviews the technofunctional properties and applications of gum Cordia in food systems. Particularly, our focus has been given to its application as a natural source for the formation of edible films and coatings for increasing the shelf life of food products and for the food preservation as a potential ingredient in formulation. The future research perspectives are also highlighted.

Impact of a novel partial defatting technology on oxidative stability and sensory properties of peanut kernels

A novel process, 'mechanical expression preserving shape integrity', was conceived to prepare low-fat peanuts in response to health-conscious consumer demands. The main purpose of this study was to preserve the taste, aroma, and oxidative stability of the defatted product. Results generated from a central composite rotatable design showed that highest consumer sensory scores were reached at low pressures (4-6 MPa). Free fatty acid, peroxide, p-anisidine, and total oxidation values were mostly affected by water content [W] and pressure [P] with high correlation coefficients (82% < R² < 87%). Overall, lipid oxidation and flavor fade were associated with higher defatting ratios and greater physical damage. The latter plays a major role in increasing the surface area and facilitating the access of oxygen to the remaining oil, thus rendering the defatted product more prone to oxidation. However, oxidation was reduced significantly using a Response Surface Methodology to optimize conditions ([W] 12.2 ± 0.6%d.b., [P] 6 ± 0.3 MPa and time [t] 18.2 ± 0.6 min).

Effects of plasticizers on sorption and optical properties of gum cordia based edible film

The present study aimed to characterize a biodegradable film produced from the polysaccharide of an indigenous plant Cordia myxa. Effect of plasticizer type (Glycerol, Sorbitol, PEG200 and PEG 400) and concentration (0-30 %) was studied on sorption and optical properties of the casted film. Increase in plasticizer concentration resulted in increase in equilibrium moisture content of the film and was supported by GAB model of sorption indicating that isotherms were of Type II. The monolayer value increased with the increase in plasticizer concentration with a peak of 0.93 g.g-1 for glycerol. Addition of plasticizers improved the total color (ΔE) with glycerol showing the highest effects. All films showed resistance to UV light in the range of 280-200 nm. The polysaccharide of the fruit of C.myxa can be used to prepare an edible film with improved properties as compared to other available edible coatings.