Physicochemical and antimicrobial properties of kefiran /waterborne polyurethane film incorporated with essential oils on refrigerated ostrich meat

Combined Effect of Isolated Bacteriophage and Neem Extract on Isolated Multiple Drug-Resistant Pathogenic Escherichia coli E1 From Well Water

Multiple drug-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a serious cause of concern, and they can be observed in hospital settings, natural environment, and animals. Dissemination of multiple drug-resistant (MDR) E. coli can pose a high risk to public health. Moreover, they are hard to control with commercial antibiotics, since they have acquired resistance against most of them. Therefore, to control multiple drug-resistant bacteria, alternative strategies have been adopted such as phage therapy, herbal remedies, nanoparticles etc. In the current study, the combined application of neem leaf extract and bacteriophage is used to control an isolated multiple drug-resistant E. coli E1. We have applied 0.1 mg/ml concentration of neem extract in combination with an isolated phage vB_EcoM_C2 of 10¹¹ titer and found that the combinatorial treatment approach significantly controls the growth of E. coli E1 as compared to a single non-combinatorial treatment. In this study, every E. coli cell is targeted by 2 antimicrobials (phage and neem extract) at the same time, which is more effective as compared to the sole treatment. Implementation of the neem extract with phage opens a new alternative approach to the chemotherapeutics for the control of multiple drug-resistant bacterial pathogens. This approach may be effective, economical, and eco-friendly to combat MDR.

Effects of ginger essential oil on physicochemical and structural properties of agar‑sodium alginate bilayer film and its application to beef refrigeration

To maintain the freshness of meat products, an agar‑sodium alginate (AS) bilayer antibacterial film incorporated with ginger essential oil (GEO) was developed. The effect of GEO at different concentrations (1%, 2%, 3% and 4% v/v) on the physical properties, micro-structure and antibacterial activity closely related to AS film's application to beef refrigeration was extensively studied. In addition, the effects of AS bilayer active film on refrigeration quality and shelf life of beef were systematically evaluated. The porous structure and number of oil droplets became more obvious with the increase of GEO amount in AS film. The incorporation and increase of GEO could delay the lipid oxidation and protein decomposition of beef, reduce the total counts of the tested microorganisms (total viable bacteria, psychrotrophic bacteria, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, yeast, and mold) in meat samples. Compared with commercial polyethylene (PE) packaging, the accumulation of basic compounds from the degradation of beef protein as well as the microbial contamination was obviously improved, which could extend the comprehensive shelf life of beef by 4-6 days. Consequently, AS bilayer films incorporated with GEO, especially GEO at 4.0% (v/v) GEO concentration can be developed to be an antibacterial active packaging material for beef refrigeration.

Essential oils as additives in active starch-based food packaging films: A review

The production of sustainable food packaging from renewable sources represents a prominent alternative to the use of petrochemical-based plastics. For example, starch remains one of the more closely studied replacement options due to its broad availability, low cost and significant advances in improving properties. In this context, essential oils as additives fulfil a key role in the manufacture of renewable active packaging with superior performances. In this review, a comprehensive summary of the impact of adding essential oils to the starch-based films is provided. After a brief introduction to the fundamental concepts related to starch and essential oils, details on the most recent advances in obtaining active starch-based films are presented. Subsequently, the effects of essential oils addition on the structure-property relationships (from physicochemical to antimicrobial ones) are thoroughly addressed. Finally, applications and challenges to the widespread use of essential oils are critically discussed.

Essential oils as additives in active food packaging

Food packaging can be considered as a passive barrier that protects food from environmental factors such as ultraviolet light, oxygen, water vapour, pressure and heat. It also prolongs the shelf-life of food by protecting from chemical and microbiological contaminants and enables foods to be transported and stored safely. Active packaging (AP) provides the opportunity for interaction between the external environment and food, resulting in extended shelf-life of food. Chemoactive packaging has an impact on the chemical composition of the food product. The application of natural additive such as essential oils in active packaging can be used in the forms of films and coatings. It has been observed that, AP helps to maintain temperature, moisture level and microbial and quality control of the food. This review article provides an overview of the active packaging incorporated with essential oils, concerns and challenges in industry, and the effect of essential oil on the packaging microstructure, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

Biodegradable Antimicrobial Food Packaging: Trends and Perspectives

This review presents a perspective on the research trends and solutions from recent years in the domain of antimicrobial packaging materials. The antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities can be induced by the main polymer used for packaging or by addition of various components from natural agents (bacteriocins, essential oils, natural extracts, etc.) to synthetic agents, both organic and inorganic (Ag, ZnO, TiO2 nanoparticles, synthetic antibiotics etc.). The general trend for the packaging evolution is from the inert and polluting plastic waste to the antimicrobial active, biodegradable or edible, biopolymer film packaging. Like in many domains this transition is an evolution rather than a revolution, and changes are coming in small steps. Changing the public perception and industry focus on the antimicrobial packaging solutions will enhance the shelf life and provide healthier food, thus diminishing the waste of agricultural resources, but will also reduce the plastic pollution generated by humankind as most new polymers used for packaging are from renewable sources and are biodegradable. Polysaccharides (like chitosan, cellulose and derivatives, starch etc.), lipids and proteins (from vegetal or animal origin), and some other specific biopolymers (like polylactic acid or polyvinyl alcohol) have been used as single component or in blends to obtain antimicrobial packaging materials. Where the package's antimicrobial and antioxidant activities need a larger spectrum or a boost, certain active substances are embedded, encapsulated, coated, grafted into or onto the polymeric film. This review tries to cover the latest updates on the antimicrobial packaging, edible or not, using as support traditional and new polymers, with emphasis on natural compounds.

Prospect of Polysaccharide-Based Materials as Advanced Food Packaging

The use of polysaccharide-based materials presents an eco-friendly technological solution, by reducing dependence on fossil resources while reducing a product's carbon footprint, when compared to conventional plastic packaging materials. This review discusses the potential of polysaccharides as a raw material to produce multifunctional materials for food packaging applications. The covered areas include the recent innovations and properties of the polysaccharide-based materials. Emphasis is given to hemicelluloses, marine polysaccharides, and bacterial exopolysaccharides and their potential application in the latest trends of food packaging materials, including edible coatings, intelligent films, and thermo-insulated aerogel packaging.