Alginate-based materials for enzyme encapsulation

Enzymes are widely used in industry due to their high efficiency and selectivity. However, their low stability during certain industrial processes can result in a significant loss of catalytic activity. Encapsulation is a promising technique that can stabilize enzymes by protecting them from environmental stresses such as extreme temperature and pH, mechanical force, organic solvents, and proteases. Alginate and alginate-based materials have emerged as effective carriers for enzyme encapsulation due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to form gel beads through ionic gelation. This review presents various alginate-based encapsulation systems for enzyme stabilization and explores their applications in different industries. We discuss the preparation methods of alginate encapsulated enzymes and analyze the release mechanisms of enzymes from alginate materials. Additionally, we summarize the characterization techniques used for enzyme-alginate composites. This review provides insights into the use of alginate encapsulation as a means of stabilizing enzymes and highlights the potential benefits for various industrial applications.

Synergistic action of laccase treatment and membrane filtration during removal of azo dyes in an enzymatic membrane reactor upgraded with electrospun fibers

Nowadays, the increasing amounts of dyes present in wastewaters and even water bodies is an emerging global problem. In this work we decided to fabricate new biosystems made of nanofiltration or ultrafiltration membranes combined with laccase entrapped between polystyrene electrospun fibers and apply them for decolorization of aqueous solutions of three azo dyes, C.I. Acid Yellow 23 (AY23), C.I. Direct Blue 71 (DB71) and C.I. Reactive Black 5 (RB5). Besides effective decolorization of the permeate stream, the biosystems also allowed removal of dyes from the retentate stream as a result of enzymatic action. The effect of pH and applied pressure on decolorization efficiencies was investigated, and pH 5 and pressure of 2 bar gave the highest removal efficiencies of 97% for AY23 and 100% for both DB71 and RB5 from permeate solutions while decolorization of retentate for RB5 reached 65% under these conditions. Almost 100% decolorization of all dyes was achieved after three consecutive enzyme membrane cycles. Decolorization was shown to be due to the synergistic action of membrane separation and bioconversion. The biocatalytic action also enabled significant reduction of permeate and retentate toxicity, which is one of the biggest environmental health issues for these types of streams.

Current Status and Future Perspectives of Supports and Protocols for Enzyme Immobilization

The market for industrial enzymes has witnessed constant growth, which is currently around 7% a year, projected to reach $10.5 billion in 2024. Lipases are hydrolase enzymes naturally responsible for triglyceride hydrolysis. They are the most expansively used industrial biocatalysts, with wide application in a broad range of industries. However, these biocatalytic processes are usually limited by the low stability of the enzyme, the half-life time, and the processes required to solve these problems are complex and lack application feasibility at the industrial scale. Emerging technologies create new materials for enzyme carriers and sophisticate the well-known immobilization principles to produce more robust, eco-friendlier, and cheaper biocatalysts. Therefore, this review discusses the trending studies and industrial applications of the materials and protocols for lipase immobilization, analyzing their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, it summarizes the current challenges and potential alternatives for lipases at the industrial level.

The Renaissance of Plant Mucilage in Health Promotion and Industrial Applications: A Review

Plant mucilage is a renewable and cost-effective source of plant-based compounds that are biologically active, biodegradable, biocompatible, nontoxic, and environmentally friendly. Until recently, plant mucilage has been of interest mostly for technological purposes. This review examined both its traditional uses and potential modern applications in a new generation of health-promoting foods, as well as in cosmetics and biomaterials. We explored the nutritional, phytochemical, and pharmacological richness of plant mucilage, with a particular focus on its biological activity. We also highlighted areas where more research is needed in order to understand the full commercial potential of plant mucilage.

Mechanistic understanding and potential application of electrospraying in food processing: a review

Electrospraying (ESPR) is a cost effective, flexible, and facile method that has been used in the pharmaceutical industry, and thanks to its wide variety of uses such as bioactive compound encapsulation, micronization, and food product coating, which have received a great attention in the food market. It uses a jet of polymer solution for processing food and food-derived products. Droplet size can be extremely small up to nanometers and can be regulated by altering applied voltage and flow rate. Compared to conventional techniques, it is simple, cost effective, uses less solvent and products are obtained in one step with a very high encapsulation efficiency (EE). Encapsulation provided using it protects bioactives from moisture, thermal, oxidative, and mechanical stresses, and thus provides them a good storage stability which will help in increasing the application of these ingredients in food formulation. This technique has an enormous potential for increasing the shelf life of fruit and vegetables through coating and improvement of eating quality. This study is aimed at overviewing the operating principles of ESPR, working parameters, applications, and advantages in the food sector. The article also covers new ESPR techniques like supercritical assisted ESPR and ESPR assisted by pressurized gas (EAPG) which have high yield as compared to conventional ESPR. This article is enriched with good information for research and development in ESPR techniques for development of novel foods.