Comparison of protective supports and antioxidative capacity of two bio-based films with revalorised fruit pomaces extracted from blueberry and red grape skin

Properties and application of antioxidant and antibacterial composite films based on methylcellulose and spine grape pomace fabricated by thermos-compression molding

Methylcellulose (MC)/grape pomace (GP) films, plasticized with either glycerol (GLY) or cinnamon essential oil (CEO), were prepared by thermo-compression molding and characterized. Compared to the GLY-plasticized MC50/GP50 films, a considerable increase in TS and YM values of CEO-plasticized films was observed, rising from 9.66 to 30.05 MPa, 762 to 1631 MPa, respectively. Moreover, the water vapor barrier, surface hydrophobic properties, and antioxidant/antibacterial activities of CEO-plasticized films remarkedly improved with increasing CEO content from 5 to 15% w/w. From scanning electron microscopy, phase separation between GP and the MC/GLY mixture were evident for GLY-plasticized MC/GP films. On the other hand, the CEO-plasticized films showed compact morphologies, attributable to the formation of hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking interaction. Preliminary shelf-life study on showed that fresh chicken wrapped with the CEO-plasticized MC/GP films exhibited lower TVB-N, TBARS, and TVC values than the unwrapped control samples, during 7 d storage at 4 °C.

Developing active and intelligent biodegradable packaging from food waste and byproducts: A review of sources, properties, film production methods, and their application in food preservation

Food waste and byproducts (FWBP) are a global issue impacting economies, resources, and health. Recycling and utilizing these wastes, due to processing and economic constraints, face various challenges. However, valuable components in food waste inspire efficient solutions like active intelligent packaging. Though research on this is booming, its material selectivity, effectiveness, and commercial viability require further analysis. This paper categorizes FWBP and explores their potential for producing packaging from both animal and plant perspectives. In addition, the preparation/fabrication methods of these films/coatings have also been summarized comprehensively, focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of these methods and their commercial adaptability. Finally, the functions of these films/coatings and their ultimate performance in protecting food (meat, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables) are also reviewed systematically. FWBP provide a variety of methods for the application of edible films, including being made into coatings, films, and fibers for food preservation, or extracting active substances directly or indirectly from them (in the form of encapsulation) and adding them to packaging to endow them with functions such as barrier, antibacterial, antioxidant, and pH response. In addition, the casting method is the most commonly used method for producing edible films, but more film production methods (extrusion, electrospinning, 3D printing) need to be tried to make up for the shortcomings of the current methods. Finally, researchers need to conduct more in-depth research on various active compounds from FWBP to achieve better application effects and commercial adaptability.

Multipurpose arrowroot starch films with anthocyanin-rich grape pomace extract: Color migration for food simulants and monitoring the freshness of fish meat

Extraction of anthocyanins from grape pomace, is a way of valuing these abundant by-products with low added value. Its integration into films may allow it to be used in bioactive packaging, which creates new color and solubility properties for food and smart food packaging which tracks the freshness of fish. Films of arrowroot starch added with different concentrations of grape pomace extract (GPE) were flexible to handle, reddish and presented a high content of anthocyanins. The water vapor permeability increased by 17 %, while the tensile strength of arrowroot starch film decreased by 79 % with the addition of 40 % GPE. The addition of GPE increased the solubility of the starch film in aqueous and lipid food simulants by 121 and 119 %. The GPE pigment preferentially migrated to the aqueous simulant due to the hydrophilic nature of anthocyanins and starch. The GPE film showed distinguishable color changes in different pH buffer solutions from pink at pH 2 to light blue at pH 7 and slightly yellowish green at pH 10. When the composite films were monitored for fish meat freshness, the change in color of the film from reddish pink to slightly green after 96 h of storage at 25 °C was evident.

Enhance Wine Production Potential by Using Fresh and Dried Red Grape and Blueberry Mixtures with Different Yeast Strains for Fermentation

Red grapes and blueberries are known for their high content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties. In Mediterranean winemaking, traditional sun-drying can be replaced by controlled-airflow-chamber-drying, which provides better quality, higher phenolic content, and increased antioxidants. This study aimed to increase the sugar content and phenolic compounds of the must by drying the fruits to fifty per cent of their original moisture content. Two musts were prepared: the first one was prepared by combining fresh red grapes and dried blueberries (M1), while the other was created using dried red grapes and fresh blueberries (M2), followed by fermentation at 25 °C with M05 Mead and X5 yeast strains. The M2 must showed the highest levels of phenolic compounds, red color (A520), total anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity. During fermentation, the anthocyanin content increased mainly in the dried blueberry macerates, where it increased between 4- to 5.5-fold. More bioactive compounds were extracted from the wines produced using yeast inoculation despite the shorter maceration times. A sensory analysis demonstrated consumers' acceptance of the wines in terms of color, flavor, and aroma. In conclusion, the use of red grapes in the production of blueberry red wine proved to be effective, providing higher sugar and must yields, while the dried fruits improved the fermentable sugar content obtaining wines with an alcoholic content between 10 and 11% (v/v). The higher levels of bioactive compounds increased the antioxidant capacity of the resulting red fruit wines.

Fabrication, performance, and potential environmental impacts of polysaccharide-based food packaging materials incorporated with phytochemicals: A review

Although food packaging preserves food's quality, it unfortunately contributes to global climate change since the considerable carbon emissions associated with its entire life cycle. Polysaccharide-based packaging materials (PPMs) are promising options to preserve foods, potentially helping the food industry reduce its carbon footprint. PPMs incorporated with phytochemicals hold promise to address this critical issue, keep food fresh and prolong the shelf life. However, phytochemicals' health benefits are impacted by their distinct chemical structures thus the phytochemicals-incorporated PPMs generally exhibit differential performances. PPMs must be thoughtfully formulated to possess adequate physicochemical properties to meet commercial standards. Given this, this review first-time provides a comprehensive review of recent advances in the fabrication of phytochemicals incorporated PPMs. The application performances of phytochemicals-incorporated PPMs for preserving foods, as well as the intelligent monitoring of food quality, are thoroughly introduced. The possible associated environmental impacts and scalability challenges for the commercial application of these PPMs are also methodically assessed. This review seeks to provide comprehensive insights into exploring new avenues to achieve a greener and safer food industry via innovative food packaging materials. This is paramount to preserve not only food shelf life but also the environment, facilitating the eco-friendly development of the food industry.

Characterization of Synthetic Polymer Coated with Biopolymer Layer with Natural Orange Peel Extract Aimed for Food Packaging

This research was aimed to make biolayer coatings enriched with orange peel essential oil (OPEO) on synthetic laminate, oriented poly(ethylene-terephthalate)/polypropylene (PET-O/PP). Coating materials were taken from biobased and renewable waste sources, and the developed formulation was targeted for food packaging. The developed materials were characterized for their barrier (O₂, CO₂, and water vapour), optical (colour, opacity), surface (inventory of peaks by FTIR), and antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, the overall migration from a base layer (PET-O/PP) in an acetic acid (3% HAc) and ethanol aqueous solution (20% EtOH) were measured. The antimicrobial activity of chitosan (Chi)-coated films was assessed against Escherichia coli. Permeation of the uncoated samples (base layer, PET-O/PP) increased with the temperature increase (from 20 °C to 40 °C and 60 °C). Films with Chi-coatings were a better barrier to gases than the control (PET-O/PP) measured at 20 °C. The addition of 1% (w/v) OPEO to the Chi-coating layer showed a permeance decrease of 67% for CO₂ and 48% for O₂. The overall migrations from PET-O/PP in 3% HAc and 20% EtOH were 1.8 and 2.3 mg/dm², respectively. Analysis of spectral bands did not indicate any surface structural changes after exposure to food simulants. Water vapour transmission rate values were increased for Chi-coated samples compared to the control. The total colour difference showed a slight colour change for all coated samples (ΔE > 2). No significant changes in light transmission at 600 nm for samples containing 1% and 2% OLEO were observed. The addition of 4% (w/v) OPEO was not enough to obtain a bacteriostatic effect, so future research is needed.

A Review on the Potential Bioactive Components in Fruits and Vegetable Wastes as Value-Added Products in the Food Industry

The food production industry is a significant contributor to the generation of millions of tonnes of waste every day. With the increasing public concern about waste production, utilizing the waste generated from popular fruits and vegetables, which are rich in high-added-value compounds, has become a focal point. By efficiently utilizing food waste, such as waste from the fruit and vegetable industries, we can adopt a sustainable consumption and production pattern that aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper provides an overview of the high-added-value compounds derived from fruit and vegetable waste and their sources. The inclusion of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antibrowning properties can enhance the quality of materials due to the high phenolic content present in them. Waste materials such as peels, seeds, kernels, and pomace are also actively employed as adsorbents, natural colorants, indicators, and enzymes in the food industry. Therefore, this article compiles all consumer-applicable uses of fruit and vegetable waste into a single document.

Utilization of Food Waste and By-Products in the Fabrication of Active and Intelligent Packaging for Seafood and Meat Products

Research on the utilization of food waste and by-products, such as peels, pomace, and seeds has increased in recent years. The high number of valuable compounds, such as starch, protein, and bioactive materials in waste and by-products from food manufacturing industries creates opportunities for the food packaging industry. These opportunities include the development of biodegradable plastics, functional compounds, active and intelligent packaging materials. However, the practicality, adaptability and relevance of up-scaling this lab-based research into an industrial scale are yet to be thoroughly examined. Therefore, in this review, recent research on the development of active and intelligent packaging materials, their applications on seafood and meat products, consumer acceptance, and recommendations to improve commercialization of these products were critically overviewed. This work addresses the challenges and potential in commercializing food waste and by-products for the food packaging industry. This information could be used as a guide for research on reducing food loss and waste while satisfying industrial demands.

Valorization of Berries' Agro-Industrial Waste in the Development of Biodegradable Pectin-Based Films for Fresh Salmon (Salmo salar) Shelf-Life Monitoring

The healthy properties of berries are known; however, red fruits are very perishable, generating large losses in production and marketing. Nonetheless, these wastes can be revalued and used. The main objective of this study was the development of biodegradable pectin films with berry agro-industrial waste extracts to monitor salmon shelf-life. The obtained extracts from blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries wastes were evaluated in terms of flavonols, phenols and anthocyanins contents, and antioxidant capacity. Then, pectin films with the extracts of different berries were developed and characterized. The results showed that the blueberry extract film was thicker (0.248 mm), darker (L* = 61.42), and opaquer (17.71%), while the highest density (1.477 g/cm3) was shown by the raspberry films. The results also showed that blueberries were the best for further application due to their composition in bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity, and color change at different pHs. The salmon samples wrapped in blueberry films showed lower values of pH and deterioration of fish during storage compared to the control and pectin samples. This study contributes to the valorization of berries agro-industrial waste by the development of eco-friendly films that can be used in the future as intelligent food packaging materials contributing to the extension of food shelf-life as a sustainable packaging alternative.

Development of halochromic indicator film based on arrowroot starch/iota-carrageenan using Kyoho skin extract to monitor shrimp freshness

Increasing trends in food safety awareness drive consumer demands for fresher healthier diets and has led to the development of low-cost pH-sensitive indicator films to evaluate deterioration levels in fresh foods. Arrowroot starch/iota-carrageenan-based films were combined with 10, 30, 50% Kyoho skin extract (KSE) to produce indicator films with halochromic abilities. The KSE indicator films were characterized based on their physico-mechanical, functional, and crystallinity properties; thermal stability; and their pH-dependent color changes in in situ anthocyanin-based monitoring of shrimp freshness. All KSE indicator films displayed compact structure under scanning electron microscope analysis and increased tensile strength, exhibited UV-vis barrier ability, and presented low water wettability. Moreover, FTIR signaled strong hydrogen bond interactions among polymers and KSE that strengthened peak crystallinity in XRD analysis and lowered weight loss at melting temperature, which indicated thermal stability of the indicator films. Furthermore, pH-sensitivity of the indicator films integrated with natural KSE anthocyanin demonstrated color changes from purple to red under acidic conditions, purple to green in an ammonium environment, and yellow appeared in high alkaline conditions. Finally, this study demonstrated the food packaging and halochromic capacity of biopolymer-based pH-sensitivity of the KSE indicator films in real-time monitoring of shrimp at room storage temperatures.

Development and Characterization of Arrowroot Starch Films Incorporated with Grape Pomace Extract

Grape processing residues are a good source of bioactive and nutritional compounds. The incorporation of grape pomace extract (GPE) in starch films can be a strategy for the elaboration of new food packaging products for applications such as edible films or fruit strips. In this context, the objective of this research was to analyze the effect of incorporation and variation of concentration of GPE (0, 20, 30, and 40% mass/mass starch solids) on the physical chemical properties of arrowroot starch edible films created by casting. The GPE was characterized for moisture content, pH, total titratable acidity, total soluble solids, and anthocyanin content. Starch films with and without GPE were evaluated by analyzing their visual appearance, water activity, water content, thickness, water solubility, and water vapor permeability. The GPE had high water content, acidity, and anthocyanins content. The films with GPE showed a noticeable reddish color, similar to observed for the GPE. Increasing the concentration of GPE in the film resulted in significantly increased (p < 0.05) thickness (from 0.060 to 0.106 mm), water content (from 8.17 to 12.48%), solubility in water (from 13.33 to 33.32%), and water vapor permeability (from 3.72 to 6.65 g.mm/m2 day kPa). GPE increased the hydrophilic portion of the film, in addition to acting as a plasticizer, decreasing the molecular interactions of the polymer chain, and favoring its solubilization, which is desirable for applications such as edible films. The elaboration of arrowroot starch films with the incorporation of grape pomace is a good alternative for the reduction of by-products of grape processing.

Application of a Natural Antioxidant from Grape Pomace Extract in the Development of Bioactive Jute Fibers for Food Packaging

There is an increasing demand for the use of new food packaging materials. In this study, natural jute fibers impregnated with a Petit Verdot Red Grape Pomace Extract (RGPE) was proposed as a new active food packaging material. Pressurized Liquid Extraction (PLE) and Enhanced Solvent Extraction (ESE) techniques were employed to obtain the bioactive RGPE. Afterward the supercritical solvent impregnation conditions to obtain RGPE-natural jute fibers were studied, by varying pressure, modifier percentage and dried RGPE mass. PLE technique offered the highest bioactive extract at 20 MPa, 55 °C, 1 h residence time using C₂H₅OH:H₂O (1:1 v/v), providing an EC50 of 3.35 ± 0.25 and antibacterial capacity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC of 12.0, 1.5 and 4.0 mg/mL RGPE respectively). The natural jute fibers impregnated with 3 mL of that RGPE (90 mg/mL) at 50 MPa and 55 °C generated the most efficient packing material with regards to its food preservation potential.

Microbial Colorants Production in Stirred-Tank Bioreactor and Their Incorporation in an Alternative Food Packaging Biomaterial

Natural colorants from microbial fermentation have gained significant attention in the market to replace the synthetic ones. Talaromyces spp. produce yellow-orange-red colorants, appearing as a potential microorganism to be used for this purpose. In this work, the production of natural colorants by T. amestolkiae in a stirred-tank bioreactor is studied, followed by its application as additives in bio-based films. The effect of the pH-shift control strategy from 4.5 to 8.0 after 96 h of cultivation is evaluated at 500 rpm, resulting in an improvement of natural colorant production, with this increase being more significant for the orange and red ones, both close to 4-fold. Next, the fermented broth containing the colorants is applied to the preparation of cassava starch-based films in order to incorporate functional activity in biodegradable films for food packaging. The presence of fermented broth did not affect the water activity and total solids of biodegradable films as compared with the standard one. In the end, the films are used to pack butter samples (for 45 days) showing excellent results regarding antioxidant activity. It is demonstrated that the presence of natural colorants is obtained by a biotechnology process, which can provide protection against oxidative action, as well as be a functional food additive in food packing biomaterials.

Sustainable Use of Fruit and Vegetable By-Products to Enhance Food Packaging Performance

Fruit and vegetable by-products are the most abundant food waste. Industrial processes such as oil, juice, wine or sugar production greatly contribute to this amount. These kinds of residues are generally thrown away in form of leftover and used as feed or composted, but they are a great source of bioactive compounds like polyphenols, vitamins or minerals. The amount of residue with potential utilization after processing has been estimated in millions of tons every year. For this reason, many researchers all around the world are making great efforts to valorize and reuse these valuable resources. Of greatest importance is the by-product potential to enhance the properties of packaging intended for food applications. Therefore, this overview collects the most recent researches dealing with fruit and vegetable by-products used to enhance physical, mechanical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of packaging systems. Recent advances on synthetic or bio-based films enriched with by-product components are extensively reviewed, with an emphasis on the role that by-product extracts can play in food packaging materials.

Comparison of Two pH Responsive Color Changing Bio-Based Films Containing Wasted Fruit Pomace as a Source of Colorants

The main objective of this work is to develop and characterize novel bio-based sensor as intelligent food packaging film to monitor quality changes in fresh chicken meat. Chitosan (CS) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were used as polymer matrices for immobilization of pH sensitive color indicators. Generally considered as a food waste, blueberry (BP) and red grape skin pomace (RP) extracts were used as indicators at total phenolic content (TPC) of 0.06, 0.13, and 0.25 w/v for BP, and 0.006, 0.012, and 0.02 w/v for RP-based films. Color, mechanical, and intelligent material properties were determined. CS films were more elastic than CMC, while no significant changes in mechanical properties occurred after the addition of both extracts at all concentrations. Notable and eye recognizable color changes in dry films were seen. It was the most significant in the pH range from 4 to 7. For CMC-based films, color changed from violet to pink for BP extracts and from red to pink for RP extracts. For CS films, the changes were less significant. The color taint and intensity changed toward green in blueberry-based films and to orange in grape seed extract-based films. Significant color changes were observed after 46 hr in application tests on fresh chicken meat. This was correlated to pH changes of meat above 6 that was one of the parameters considered as an indication of spoilage. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This work provides interesting data to food industry. It offers an idea and possibility of managing food waste from fruits and vegetables industry that makes problems and costs when needed to be disposed in a proper manner. Moreover, there is the possibility of producing novel kind of food packaging materials that could be used in order to check the end of food shelf-life in an inexpensive and natural way. Additional value lies in the fact that materials and procedures could be considered as sustainable.