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Drago E, Campardelli R, Lagazzo A, Firpo G, Perego P. Improvement of Natural Polymeric Films Properties by Blend Formulation for Sustainable Active Food Packaging. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15092231. [PMID: 37177377 PMCID: PMC10180553 DOI: 10.3390/polym15092231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Active packaging manufactured with biopolymers extracted from agri-food waste is one of the most innovative and eco-sustainable strategies for maintaining food quality. However, biopolymers often present poor performances, which hinders their competitiveness compared with plastics. This work focused on developing and optimizing a natural polymeric blend produced by solvent casting based on zein and chitosan to improve the pure biopolymers' properties. The best results were obtained by blending zein and chitosan in a 1:2 weight ratio. The films were characterized in terms of morphology, mechanical and oxygen barrier properties, thermal stability, transparency and wettability. The blend production allowed us to obtain lower brittleness and lower stiffness materials compared with pure polymer films, with oxygen permeability values two orders of magnitude lower than pure zein, better optical properties with respect to pure chitosan and good thermal stability. The wettability properties of the blend did not result in being altered with respect to the single polymer, which was found to have hydrophilic behavior, highlighting the strong influence of glycerol used as a plasticizer. The results suggested that the polymer blending strategy is a viable and cost-effective method for producing packaging materials as alternatives to plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Drago
- Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering (DICCA), Polytechnic School, University of Genoa, Via Opera Pia 15, 16145 Genoa, Italy
| | - Roberta Campardelli
- Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering (DICCA), Polytechnic School, University of Genoa, Via Opera Pia 15, 16145 Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Lagazzo
- Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering (DICCA), Polytechnic School, University of Genoa, Via Opera Pia 15, 16145 Genoa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Firpo
- Department of Physics, Nanomed Lab, University of Genoa, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genoa, Italy
| | - Patrizia Perego
- Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering (DICCA), Polytechnic School, University of Genoa, Via Opera Pia 15, 16145 Genoa, Italy
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Giteru SG, Ramsey DH, Hou Y, Cong L, Mohan A, Bekhit AEDA. Wool keratin as a novel alternative protein: A comprehensive review of extraction, purification, nutrition, safety, and food applications. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2023; 22:643-687. [PMID: 36527315 DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.13087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The growing global population and lifestyle changes have increased the demand for specialized diets that require protein and other essential nutrients for humans. Recent technological advances have enabled the use of food bioresources treated as waste as additional sources of alternative proteins. Sheep wool is an inexpensive and readily available bioresource containing 95%-98% protein, making it an outstanding potential source of protein for food and biotechnological applications. The strong structure of wool and its indigestibility are the main hurdles to achieving its potential as an edible protein. Although various methods have been investigated for the hydrolysis of wool into keratin, only a few of these, such as sulfitolysis, oxidation, and enzymatic processes, have the potential to generate edible keratin. In vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity studies reported no cytotoxicity effects of extracted keratin, suggesting its potential for use as a high-value protein ingredient that supports normal body functions. Keratin has a high cysteine content that can support healthy epithelia, glutathione synthesis, antioxidant functions, and skeletal muscle functions. With the recent spike in new keratin extraction methods, extensive long-term investigations that examine prolonged exposure of keratin generated from these techniques in animal and human subjects are required to ascertain its safety. Food applications of wool could improve the ecological footprint of sheep farming and unlock the potential of a sustainable protein source that meets demands for ethical production of animal protein.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yakun Hou
- College of Food Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Lei Cong
- Department of Agribusiness and Markets, Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Anand Mohan
- Alliance Group Limited, Invercargill, New Zealand
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Garavand F, Khodaei D, Mahmud N, Islam J, Khan I, Jafarzadeh S, Tahergorabi R, Cacciotti I. Recent progress in using zein nanoparticles-loaded nanocomposites for food packaging applications. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2022; 64:3639-3659. [PMID: 36222362 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2133080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Biopolymers are important due to their exceptional functional and barrier properties and also their non-toxicity and eco-friendly nature for various food, biomedical, and pharmaceutical applications. However, biopolymers usually need reinforcement strategies to address their poor mechanical, thermal, and physical properties as well as processability aspects. Several natural nanoparticles have been proposed as reinforcing agents for biopolymeric food packaging materials. Among them, zein nanoparticles (ZNPs) have attracted a lot of interest, being an environmentally friendly material. The purpose of the present review paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of the ZNPs-loaded nanocomposites for food packaging applications, starting from the synthesis, characteristics and properties of ZNPs, to the physicochemical properties of the ZNPs-loaded nanocomposites, in terms of morphology, permeability, solubility, optical features, hydrophobic/hydrophilic behavior, structural characteristics, thermal features, and mechanical attributes. Finally, at the end of this review, some considerations about the safety issues and gastrointestinal fate of ZNPs, as well as the use of ZNPs-based nanocomposites as food packaging, are reported, taking into account that, despite the enormous benefits, nanotechnology also presents some risks associated to the use of nanometric materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhad Garavand
- Department of Food Chemistry and Technology, Teagasc Moorepark Food Research Centre, Co. Cork, Ireland
| | - Diako Khodaei
- Department of Sport, Exercise, and Nutrition, Atlantic Technological University, Galway, Ireland
| | - Niaz Mahmud
- Food and Nutritional Sciences Program, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Joinul Islam
- Food and Nutritional Sciences Program, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Injeela Khan
- Food and Nutritional Sciences Program, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Shima Jafarzadeh
- School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Reza Tahergorabi
- Food and Nutritional Sciences Program, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ilaria Cacciotti
- Department of Engineering, INSTM RU, University of Rome 'Niccolò Cusano', Rome, Italy
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Production and characterization of composite films with zein nanoparticles based on the complexity of continuous film matrix. Lebensm Wiss Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2022.113396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Kasaai MR. Bio-nano-composites containing at least two components, chitosan and zein, for food packaging applications: A review of the nano-composites in comparison with the conventional counterparts. Carbohydr Polym 2022; 280:119027. [PMID: 35027129 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.119027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Both chitosan and zein are safe industrial biopolymers for the 21St century, respecting environmentally concerns. This review mainly is focused on preparations, properties and applications of a promising food packaging material, chitosan-zein nano-composite (NC). The properties and applications of the NCs were compared with their conventional counterparts. The structure of chitosan- zein composites was proposed. A procedure for preparations of conventional and nano zein-chitosan composites was proposed. The sizes of composites depend on molecular weight of chitosan and zein, the ratio of chitosan/zein, and pH of chitosan-zein solutions. The NCs had superior mechanical, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and barrier properties compared with the conventional ones. The properties of the composites were further improved by introduction of bioactive compounds, fillers or plasticizers. The composites have potential to employ as coatings/packaging materials to protect mushroom, meats, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Reza Kasaai
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Khazar Abad Road, Km. 9, P.O. Box, 578, Sari, Mazandaran, Iran.
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Elucidating the pH influence on pulsed electric fields-induced self-assembly of chitosan-zein-poly(vinyl alcohol)-polyethylene glycol nanostructured composites. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 588:531-546. [PMID: 33429349 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.12.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS The high incompatibility of bio-based materials such as protein and polysaccharides require a series of modifications to develop stable microstructures effectively. By modifying the density and charge of surface residues, pulsed electric fields processing can improve inter/intramolecular interactions, compatibility, and microstructure of bio-based nanostructured composites. EXPERIMENT In this work, the impact of pulsed electric fields at a specific energy of 60-700 kJ/kg (electric field strength = 1.6 kV/cm) on self-assembly of zein-chitosan-poly(vinyl alcohol)-polyethylene glycol composite dispersion was investigated at pH 4.0, 5.7, and 6.8. FINDINGS Superior complex coacervated matrices were assembled at pH 4.0 and 5.7 before and after pulsed electric fields treatment at a specific energy of 390-410 kJ/kg. The compact and homogenous behaviour was attributable to pulsed electric fields-induced alteration of functional group interactions in a pH-dependent manner. Irrespective of the pH, very high electric field intensity caused excessive system perturbation leading to severe fragmentation and poor development of coacervates. The crucial insights from this study reveal that the self-assembly behaviour and integration of biopolymer-based systems possessing different local charges can be enhanced by optimising pulsed electric fields processing parameters and the properties of the colloidal systems such as the pH.
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Giteru SG, Cridge B, Oey I, Ali A, Altermann E. In-vitro degradation and toxicological assessment of pulsed electric fields crosslinked zein-chitosan-poly(vinyl alcohol) biopolymeric films. Food Chem Toxicol 2020; 135:111048. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2019.111048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Solvent strength and biopolymer blending effects on physicochemical properties of zein-chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol composite films. Food Hydrocoll 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2018.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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