Application of gelatin film and coating prepared from dried alaska pollock by-product in quality maintanance of grape berries

Innovations in Food Packaging for a Sustainable and Circular Economy

Packaging is fundamental to maintaining the quality of food, but its contribution with a negative footprint to the environment must be completely changed worldwide to reduce pollution and climate change. Innovative and sustainable packaging and new strategies of reutilization are necessary to reduce plastic waste accumulation, maintain food quality and safety, and reduce food losses and waste. The purpose of this chapter is to present innovations in food packaging for a sustainable and circular economy. First, to present the eco-design packaging approach as well as new strategies for recycled or recyclable materials in food packaging. Second, to show current trends in new packaging materials developed from the use of agro-industrial wastes as well as new methods of production, including 3D/4D printing, electrostatic spinning, and the use of nanomaterials.

Development of Edible Coating from Gelatin Composites with the Addition of Black Tea Extract (Camellia sinensis) on Minimally Processed Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of composite fish gelatin–chitosan edible coatings enriched with black tea extract on the physical, chemical, and fungal decay properties of minimally processed watermelons stored at ±4 °C for 13 days. In this study, tuna skin gelatin was extracted and used to prepare edible coating solutions which comprised 4% gelatin, 2% chitosan, 2% calcium lactate, 2% glycerol, and black tea extract (0%; 0.25%; 0.50%; 0.75%; 1%). The samples were coated using the layer-by-layer dipping technique. This study showed that composite fish gelatin–chitosan edible coating enriched with black tea extract maintained and improved weight loss, texture (hardness), color, pH, and total soluble solid antioxidant activity and prevented fungal decay on minimally processed watermelons stored at ±4 °C for 13 days. The development in this study of edible film and a coating prepared from fish gelatin–chitosan and the incorporation of black tea extract as an antioxidant or antimicrobial agent can be a new approach to preventing postharvest loss and increasing the shelf life of minimally processed watermelon.

Biodegradable Packaging Materials from Animal Processing Co-Products and Wastes: An Overview

Biodegradable polymers are non-toxic, environmentally friendly biopolymers with considerable mechanical and barrier properties that can be degraded in industrial or home composting conditions. These biopolymers can be generated from sustainable natural sources or from the agricultural and animal processing co-products and wastes. Animals processing co-products are low value, underutilized, non-meat components that are generally generated from meat processing or slaughterhouse such as hide, blood, some offal etc. These are often converted into low-value products such as animal feed or in some cases disposed of as waste. Collagen, gelatin, keratin, myofibrillar proteins, and chitosan are the major value-added biopolymers obtained from the processing of animal's products. While these have many applications in food and pharmaceutical industries, a significant amount is underutilized and therefore hold potential for use in the generation of bioplastics. This review summarizes the research progress on the utilization of meat processing co-products to fabricate biodegradable polymers with the main focus on food industry applications. In addition, the factors affecting the application of biodegradable polymers in the packaging sector, their current industrial status, and regulations are also discussed.

Application of soymilk skin as sausage wrapping for improving lipid oxidation

Yuba, the soymilk skin, was developed as edible films for sausage. Yuba (Y) were prepared with added pine-needle extract (YP) and employed to wrap sausage. Physical and mechanical properties and lipid oxidation of sausages were compared to sausages made with commercial collagen casing (C). Y films showed better transparency, oxygen-barrier properties, and UV-light barrier properties than C films (p < .05). Particularly, the addition of pine-needle extract increased DPPH activities from 31 to 48% and total phenol content from 7.52 to 14.64 mg gallic acid/g. Regarding application for sausage wrapping, Y (2.35%) and YP (2.66%) wrapped sausages with better protection against water loss during cooking compared to sausages made from C (5.84%). Especially, YP (3.57 MDA mg/kg) showed better protection against lipid oxidation for sausages than Y (4 MDA mg/kg) and C (4.62 MDA mg/kg) on day 6 after refrigerated storage. Yuba films could be employed as potential alternatives to gelatin films for manufacturing sausages.

Edible and Functionalized Films/Coatings—Performances and Perspectives

In recent years, food packaging has evolved from an inert and polluting waste that remains after using the product toward an active item that can be consumed along with the food it contains. Edible films and coatings represent a healthy alternative to classic food packaging. Therefore, a significant number of studies have focused on the development of biodegradable enveloping materials based on biopolymers. Animal and vegetal proteins, starch, and chitosan from different sources have been used to prepare adequate packaging for perishable food. Moreover, these edible layers have the ability to carry different active substances such as essential oils—plant extracts containing polyphenols—which bring them considerable antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. This review presents the latest updates on the use of edible films/coatings with different compositions with a focus on natural compounds from plants, and it also includes an assessment of their mechanical and physicochemical features. The plant compounds are essential in many cases for considerable improvement of the organoleptic qualities of embedded food, since they protect the food from different aggressive pathogens. Moreover, some of these useful compounds can be extracted from waste such as pomace, peels etc., which contributes to the sustainable development of this industry.

Gelatin-Based Edible Coating Combined with Mentha pulegium Essential Oil as Bioactive Packaging for Strawberries

The effect of gelatin-based edible coating incorporated with Mentha pulegium essential oil (MEO) on physicochemical (pH, titratable acidity (TA), weight loss, total soluble solids (TSS), and total phenolic content (TPC)), microbiological (total aerobic mesophilic flora (TAMF) and yeasts and moulds (YM)), and sensorial (color and firmness) characteristics of strawberries stored under refrigeration was studied. Strawberries were coated with gelatin alone (4%) and/or gelatin combined with two concentrations (0.5 and 1%) of MEO and stored at 4°C for 13 days. Gelatin coating and MEO combination significantly inhibited total flora and moulds and yeasts with comparison to control (uncoated strawberries) and had better hygienic quality at the end of storage. The effect was MEO concentration dependent. Our results also showed that the bioactive coating used in this investigation slowed down changes in pH, TA, weight loss, TSS, firmness, TPC, and color of strawberries. Gelatin coating incorporated with MEO at 1% protected at least 60% of strawberries from deterioration after 13 days of storage and could be used as bioactive packaging to prolong the shelf life and an alternative of pesticides use.