Design of Biodegradable Films Using Pecan Nut Cake Extracts for Food Packing.

The excessive consumption of plastic packaging and its consequent disposal and accumulation in the environment have aroused the interest of researchers in developing packaging that can cause less harm to nature. In this sense, this article presents research on the addition of antioxidant extracts from pecan nut cake in biodegradable packaging made with a polymeric mixture of gelatin and corn starch. The films produced were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thickness, mechanical properties, water vapor permeability (WVP), solubility, water contact angle, optical properties, in vitro bioactive activity, and biodegradability. A higher concentration of total phenolic compounds (101.61 mg GAE/g) was found for the condition where alcohol content and extraction time were 65% and 20 min, respectively. Pecan nut cake (PNC( extracts did not influence the film's tensile strength, and elongation at break was tightly increased by adding 10-20% extracts. The film's characterization pointed to more than 67% solubility, and adding PNC extract implied more hydrophilic surfaces (contact angles lower than 65°). Furthermore, the film opacity showed a linear relation with PNC extract concentration, and a higher luminosity (L*) was observed for the film without extract. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of the films was enhanced with the addition of PNC extracts, and complete biodegradation was observed until the ninth day. Therefore, biodegradable films prepared from a mixture of gelatin starch and enriched with PNC extracts showed excellent mechanical properties and potential as carriers of antioxidant compounds, allowing us to propose their use as active packing.

Effect of corn stigma extract on physical and antioxidant properties of biodegradable and edible gelatin and corn starch films.

The development of bio-based food packaging with antioxidant properties is an important research topic and has gained prominence these days. In this study, bioactive films were developed based gelatin-corn starch (GCS) incorporated with corn stigma extract (CSE) at different concentrations (15% and 25%; w/v). In preliminary tests, the extract maintained cell viability above 90% indicating that it is safe for application as an active ingredient. Insertion of the extract did not influence the thickness of the films but caused a slight change in optical properties. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed interactions between the extract's bioactive compounds with gelatin and corn starch compounds, which may have improved the mechanical properties (elongation at break, Young's modulus). The addition of 25% corn stigma extract increased the contact angle, giving the film a hydrophobic character. Furthermore, at this concentration, a 15% reduction in water vapor permeability was observed. The elaborated films showed complete biodegradability before the tenth day of the study. It can be inferred that the films with corn stigma extract have good antioxidant properties, indicating that they can be used as an ingredient for food packaging.

Elaboration of mayonnaises containing landrace common bean flour as a partial egg yolk substitute / Elaboração de maionese contendo farinha de feijão crioulo como substituto parcial da gema de ovo

ABSTRACT: Mayonnaise is one of the most consumed sauces in the world and beans have great technological functional properties. As a result, beans can be used in the production of mayonnaise as a partial substitute for egg yolk (EY), reducing cholesterol content, post-harvest losses and adding nutritional value to mayonnaise. This study evaluated the effect of the partial replacement of EY by landrace common bean flour (LCBF) on the parameters of rheology, chemical and physical composition of mayonnaise. Four mayonnaise formulations were developed: T1 (Standard), 100% egg yolk (EY); T2, 75% EY and 25% FFC; T3, 50% EY and 50% LCBF; T4, 25% EY and 75% LCBF. The partial substitution of EY for LCBF increased the protein content, decreased the content of lipids and cholesterol. The obtained mayonnaise continued to exhibit pseudoplastic behaviour, being a characteristic of non-Newtonian fluid. The water activity of the mayonnaise was not changed with the replacement of the partial of the egg yolk and the pH decreased during the storage. The substitution of EY can be carried out in quantities of up to 50% without prejudice to mayonnaise, the formulation with 50% substitution presented the best viscosity and remained stable, similar to the standard mayonnaise.

RESUMO: A maionese é um dos molhos mais consumidos no mundo e o feijão apresenta ótimas propriedades funcionais tecnológicas. Com isso, o feijão pode ser usado na produção de maionese como substituto parcial da gema de ovo diminuindo o teor de colesterol, perdas pós colheita e agregando valor nutricional a maionese. Este estudo avaliou o efeito da substituição parcial da gema de ovo pela farinha de feijão crioulo (FFC) sobre os parâmetros de reologia, composição química e fisica da maionese. Foram desenvolvidas quatro formulações de maionese: T1 (Padrão), 100% de gema de ovo (GO); T2, 75% GO e 25% FFC; T3, 50% GO e 50% FFC; T4, 25% GO e 75% FFC. A substituição parcial da GO pela FFC aumentou o teor proteíco, diminuiu o conteúdo de lipídios e colesterol. A maionese obtida continuou exibindo comportamento pseudoplástico, sendo uma característica do fluido não newtoniano. A atividade de água das maioneses não foi alterada com a substituição parcial da gema de ovo e o pH diminuiu ao longo do armazenamento. A substituição da GO pode ser realizada em quantidades de até 50% sem prejuízo das maioneses, a formulação com 50% de substituição apresentou a melhor viscosidade e se manteve estável, semelhante à maionese padrão.

Phytochemical characterization and antimicrobial activity of Cymbopogon citratus extract for application as natural antioxidant in fresh sausage.

The development of natural additives is considered an important research topic. In this work, the use of Cymbopogon citratus (CC) extract as a natural additive for chicken sausage refrigerated was investigated. The CC extract was characterized by electrospray ionization with high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-ToF-MS) and the identified compounds were directly related to the antioxidant activity demonstrated by CC in the fresh sausage. In total, 31 phytochemical compounds were identified, and 27 of these still were not described in the literature for CC. The antimicrobial activity showed that CC extract is a potential antibacterial agent. Besides, the results showed that CC extract reduced lipid oxidation compared to synthetic additive. The sensorial characteristics were maintained, demonstrating good acceptability by the consumer. The results confirmed that CC can keep the quality of chicken sausage refrigerated for up to 42 days of storage.