Effects of nano-clay type and content on the physical properties of sesame seed meal protein composite films

A Novel Approach about Edible Packaging Materials Based on Oilcakes-A Review

Due to the growing global population and subsequent environment degradation, as well as changes in the climate, changing consumers' dietary habits is necessary to create strategies for the most efficient use of natural resources to eliminate waste in the food supply chain. The packaging of food is essential to preserve the food's properties, extend its shelf life and offer nutritional information. Food products are packaged in various materials of which the most used are plastics, but they have a negative impact on the environment. Various efforts have been made to address this situation, but unfortunately, this includes recycling rather than replacing them with sustainable solutions. There is a trend toward edible packaging materials with more additional functions (antioxidant, antimicrobial and nutritional properties). Edible packaging is also a sustainable solution to avoid food waste and environment pollution. Oilcakes are the principal by-products obtained from the oil extraction process. These by-products are currently underused as animal feed, landfilling or compost. Because they contain large amounts of valuable compounds and are low-cost ingredients, they can be used to produce materials suitable for food packaging. This review covers the recent developments in oilcake-based packaging materials. Special emphasis is placed on the study of materials and technologies that can be used to make edible film in order to research the most suitable ways of developing oilcake-based film that can be consumed simultaneously with the product. These types of materials do not exist on the market.

Plant protein-based nanocomposite films: A review on the used nanomaterials, characteristics, and food packaging applications

Consumer demands to utilize environmentally friendly packaging have led researchers to develop packaging materials from naturally derived resources. In recent years, plant protein-based films as a replacement for synthetic plastics have attracted the attention of the global food packaging industry due to their biodegradability and unique properties. Biopolymer-based films need a filler to show improved packaging properties. One of the latest strategies introduced to food packaging technology is the production of nanocomposite films which are multiphase materials containing a filler with at least one dimension less than 100 nm. This review provides the recent findings on plant-based protein films as biodegradable materials that can be combined with nanoparticles that are applicable to food packaging. Moreover, it investigates the characterization of nanocomposite plant-based protein films/edible coatings. It also briefly describes the application of plant-based protein nanocomposite films/coating on fruits/vegetables, meat and seafood products, and some other foods. The results indicate that the functional performance, barrier, mechanical, optical, thermal and antimicrobial properties of plant protein-based materials can be extended by incorporating nanomaterials. Recent reports provide a better understanding of how incorporating nanomaterials into plant protein-based biopolymers leads to an increase in the shelf life of food products during storage time.

Development and Characterization of Fenugreek Protein-Based Edible Film

The present investigation studied the physicochemical, mechanical, structural, thermal, and morphological attributes of a novel edible film formed from fenugreek protein concentrate. Films were produced at different pH-9, 10, 11, and 12-and the effect of the pH on the films was studied. As the pH increased, tensile strength increased while water vapor absorption decreased, which is interrelated to the surface morphological properties; as the pH increased, the surface became smoother and compact without any cavities. The films produced were darker in color. Fenugreek protein films exhibited good thermal stability. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed the presence of strong bonding for the films made at alkaline pH. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) indicated the major structure of the film was amorphous. The study demonstrated that the fenugreek protein concentrate film has influential characteristics and can be used as an edible packaging film.

A review on versatile applications of blends and composites of CNC with natural and synthetic polymers with mathematical modeling

Cellulose is world's most abundant, renewable and recyclable polysaccharide on earth. Cellulose is composed of both amorphous and crystalline regions. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are extracted from crystalline region of cellulose. The most attractive feature of CNC is that it can be used as nanofiller to reinforce several synthetic and natural polymers. In this article, a comprehensive overview of modification of several natural and synthetic polymers using CNCs as reinforcer in respective polymer matrix is given. The immense activities of CNCs are successfully utilized to enhance the mechanical properties and to broaden the field of application of respective polymer. All the technical scientific issues have been discussed highlighting the recent advancement in biomedical and packaging field.

Preparation and characterization of bionanocomposite films reinforced with nano kaolin

Effects of nano-kaolin incorporation into semolina films on the physical, mechanical, thermal, barrier and antimicrobial properties of the resulting bio-nanocomposite films were investigated. The properties included crystal structure (by X-ray diffraction), mechanical resistance, color, Fourier transform infrared spectra, decomposition temperature, water-vapor permeability (WVP), oxygen permeability (OP), and antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Kaolin was incorporated into biofilms at various amounts (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 %, w/w total solid). All films were plasticized with 50 % (w/w total solid) combination of sorbitol/glycerol at 3:1 ratio. The incorporation of nanokaolin into semolina films decreased OP and WVP. The moisture content and water solubility of the films were found to decrease by nanokaolin reinforcement, and mechanical properties of films were improved by increasing nanokaolin concentration. Tensile strength and Young's modulus increased from 3.41 to 5.44 MPa and from 63.12 to 136.18, respectively, and elongation-at-break decreased. The films did not exhibit UV absorption. In conclusion, nanokaolin incorporation enhanced the barrier and mechanical properties of semolina films, indicating the potential application of these bio-nanocomposites in food-product packaging.