α, β-citral from Cymbopogon citratus on cellulosic film: Release potential and quality of coalho cheese

High transparency, water vapor barrier and antibacterial properties of chitosan/carboxymethyl glucan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/nanoparticles encapsulating citral composite film for fruit packaging

Utilizing antibacterial packaging material is an effective approach to delay fruit rotting and spoilage thereby minimizing financial losses and reducing health harm. However, the barrier and mechanical properties of biodegradable antibacterial packaging materials are barely compatible with transparency. Herein, antimicrobial nanoparticles encapsulating citral (ANPs) were first prepared by emulsification under the stabilization of oxidized dextran (ODE) and ethylene diamine. Then, composite films with high transparency, good water vapor barrier, and mechanical and antibacterial properties for fruits packaging were prepared from chitosan (CS), carboxymethyl-glucan (CMG), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and ANPs by solvent casting strategy. The synergistic effects of electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding could regulate crystalline architecture, generating high transparency of the composite films (90 %). The mechanical properties of the composite film are improved with elongation at break up to 167 % and stress up to 32 MPa. The water vapor barrier property of the film is appropriate to the packed fruit for less weight loss and firmness remaining. Simultaneously, the addition of ANPs endowed the film with excellent antimicrobial and UV-barrier capabilities to reduce fruit mildew, thereby extending the shelf life of fruits. More importantly, the composite polymer solution could be sprayed or dipped directly on fruits as a coating for food storage to improve food shelf life, substantially expanding its ease of use and scope of use.

New Trends in the Use of Volatile Compounds in Food Packaging

In the last years, many of the research studies in the packaging industry have been focused on food active packaging in order to develop new materials capable of retaining the active agent in the polymeric matrix and controlling its release into food, which is not easy in many cases due to the high volatility of the chemical compounds, as well as their ease of diffusion within polymeric matrices. This review presents a complete revision of the studies that have been carried out on the incorporation of volatile compounds to food packaging applications. We provide an overview of the type of volatile compounds used in active food packaging and the most recent trends in the strategies used to incorporate them into different polymeric matrices. Moreover, a thorough discussion regarding the main factors affecting the retention capacity and controlled release of volatile compounds from active food packaging is presented.

Encapsulation of caffeine into starch matrices: Bitterness evaluation and suppression mechanism

In this study, caffeine (CA) was encapsulated into food-grade starch matrices, including swelled starch (SS), porous starch (PS), and V-type starch (VS). The bitterness of the microcapsules and suppression mechanisms were investigated using an electronic tongue, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and the in vitro release kinetics of CA. All the CA-loaded microcapsules showed a lower bitterness intensity than the control. The MD results proved that the weak interactions between starch and CA resulted in a moderate CA release rate for SS-CA microcapsules. The PS-CA microcapsule presented the longest CA release, up to 40 min, whereas the VS-CA microcapsule completely released CA in 9 min. The CA release rate was found to be related to the microcapsule structure and rehydration properties. A low CA bitterness intensity could be attributed to a delay in the CA release rate and resistance to erosion of the microcapsules. The results of this work are valuable for improving starch-based microcapsules (oral-targeted drug-delivery systems) by suppressing the bitterness of alkaloid compounds.