Application of chitosan and other biopolymers based edible coatings containing essential oils as green and innovative strategy for preservation of perishable food products: A review

Improving the hydrophobic nature of biopolymer based edible packaging film: A review

Biopolymer-based polymer compounds mainly protein and polysaccharide are commonly used in biodegradable packaging. Gelatin, cellulose, starch, chitosan, pectin, and alginate are widely used for producing biodegradable packaging films because of their nontoxicity and safety. However, some drawbacks need to be solved before employing them in food packaging, such as inappropriate wettability, low barrier properties, low mechanical properties and high moisture sensitivity. To overcome the hurdle, film-surface modifications with hydrophobic agents improve oxygen and carbon dioxide permeation while reducing moisture permeability. Some of the method used in tuning hydrophobicity is plasma treatment and coating, high pressure processing, electrospinning, etc. Additionally, hydrophobic coatings are applied on the inner surfaces of packaging films to minimize water losses, prevent leakages, and reduce spoilage and contamination of food. This article discusses the various methodologies in improving hydrophobicity for biodegradable packaging films by introducing hydrophobic agents and other active constituents to increase their functioning and intelligence.

Performance of Biodegradable Active Packaging in the Preservation of Fresh-Cut Fruits: A Systematic Review

Fresh-cutting fruits is a common practice in markets and households, but their short shelf life is a challenge. Active packaging is a prominent strategy for extending food shelf life. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines to explore the performance and materials used in biodegradable active packaging for fresh-cut fruits. Sixteen studies were included from a search performed in July 2024 on Scopus and Web of Science databases. Only research articles in English on biodegradable active films tested on cut fruits were selected. Polysaccharides were the most employed polymer in film matrices (87.5%). Antioxidant and anti-browning activities were the active film properties that were most developed (62.5%), while plant extracts and essential oils were the most employed active agents (56.3%), and fresh-cut apples were the most commonly tested fruit (56.3%). Appropriate antioxidant, antibacterial, and barrier properties for fresh-cut fruit packaging were determined. Furthermore, there is a wide range of experimental designs to evaluate shelf-life improvements. In each case, shelf life was successfully extended. The findings show that different storage conditions, fruits, and material configurations can lead to different shelf-life extension performances. Thus, biodegradable active packaging for fresh-cut fruits has a strong potential for growth in innovative, sustainable, and functional ways.

Incorporation of essential oils in polymeric films for biomedical applications

Natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers are widely used to obtain more sustainable films with biological, physicochemical, and mechanical properties for biomedical purposes. The incorporation of essential oils (EOs) in polymeric films can optimize the biological activities of these EOs, protect them from degradation, and serve as a prototype for new biotechnological products. This article aims to discuss updates over the last 10 years on incorporating EOs into natural and synthetic biodegradable polymer films for biomedical applications. Chitosan, alginates, cellulose, and proteins such as gelatine, silk, and zein are among the natural polymers most commonly used to prepare biodegradable films for release EOs. In addition to these, the most cited synthetic biodegradable polymers are poly(L-lactide) (PLA), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL). The EOs of clove, cinnamon, tea tree, eucalyptus, frankincense, lavender, thyme and oregano incorporated into polymeric films have been the most studied EOs in recent years in the biomedical field. Biomedical applications include antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria and fungi, anticancer activity, potential for tissue engineering and regeneration with scaffolds and wound healing as dressings. Thus, this article reports on the importance of incorporating EOs into biodegradable polymer films, making these systems especially attractive for various biomedical applications.

Recent advancements in polysaccharides, proteins and lipids based edible coatings to enhance guava fruit shelf-life: A review

Fresh fruits are highly needed for the health benefits of human beings because of the presence of high content of natural nutrition in the form of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other phenolic compounds. However, some nutritional fruits such as guava are climacteric in nature with very less post-harvest shelf-life because of the ripening in a very short period and possibility of microbial infections. Thus security of natural nutrients is a serious concern in order to properly utilize guava without generating a huge amount of waste. Among reported various methods for the enhancement of fruits shelf-life, the application of edible coatings with antimicrobial activities on the outer surface of fruits have attracted significant attention because of their eco-friendly nature, easy applicability, high efficacy, and good durability. In recent years, researchers are paying more and more attention in the development of antimicrobial edible coatings to enhance the post-harvest shelf-life of guava using polysaccharides, protein and lipids. In this review, basic approaches and recent advancements in development of antimicrobial and edible coatings on guava fruit by the application of polysaccharides and protein and lipids along with the combination of nanomaterials are summarized. In addition, improvements in basic properties of edible coatings to significantly control the permeation of gases (O2/CO2) by the optimization of coating components as well as delay in ripening process are reviewed and discussed.