Recovery of green phenolic compounds from lignin-based source: Role of ferulic acid esterase towards waste valorization and bioeconomic perspectives.

The production of chemicals/products so far relies on fossil-based resources with the creation of several environmental problems at the global level. In this situation, a sustainable and circular economy model is necessitated to mitigate global environmental issues. Production of biowaste from various processing industries also creates environmental issues which would be valorized for the production of industrially important reactive and bioactive compounds. Lignin acts as a vital part in biowaste composition which can be converted into a wide range of phenolic compounds. The phenolic compounds have attracted much attention, owing to their influence on diverse not only organoleptic parameters, such as taste or color, but also active agents for active packaging systems. Crop residues of varied groups, which are an affluent source of lignocellulosic biomass could serve as a renewable resource for the biosynthesis of ferulic acid (FA). FA is obtained by the FA esterase enzyme action, and it can be further converted into various tail end phenolic flavor green compounds like vanillin, vanillic acid and hydroxycinnamic acid. Lignin being renewable in nature, processing and management of biowastes towards sustainability is the need as far as the global industrial point is concerned. This review explores all the approaches for conversion of lignin into value-added phenolic compounds that could be included to packaging applications. These valorized products can exhibit the antioxidant, antimicrobial, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties, and due to these features can emerge to incorporate them into production of functional foods and be utilization of them at active food packaging application. These approaches would be an important step for utilization of the recovered bioactive compounds at the nutraceutical and food industrial sectors.

Valorization of the Invasive Blue Crabs (Callinectes sapidus) in the Mediterranean: Nutritional Value, Bioactive Compounds and Sustainable By-Products Utilization.

The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), originally from the western Atlantic Ocean, has recently spread to the Mediterranean and is now considered one of the one hundred most invasive species in that region. This opportunistic species, known for its adaptability to different temperatures and salinities, negatively impacts biodiversity and human activities such as fishing and tourism in the Mediterranean. However, the blue crab is gaining interest as a potential food resource due to its high nutritional value and delicate, sweet flavor. Its meat is rich in protein (14% to 30%), omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) and other essential nutrients beneficial for human health such as vitamins, and minerals. Utilizing this species in the production of new foods could help mitigate the negative impact of its invasiveness and offer economic opportunities. One challenge with this potential resource is the generation of waste. Approximately 6-8 million tonnes of crab shells are produced worldwide each year, leading to disposal problems and concerns regarding environmental sustainability. To improve economic and environmental sustainability, there is a need to valorize these residues, which are an important source of proteins, lipids, chitin, minerals, and pigments that can be processed into high-value-added products. However, especially in areas with industrial pollution, attention should be paid to the heavy metal (Cd and As) contents of blue crab shells. Studies suggest that blue crab by-products can be used in various sectors, reducing environmental impacts, promoting a circular economy, and creating new industrial opportunities.

Development and Evaluation of the Properties of Active Films for High-Fat Fruit and Vegetable Packaging.

ß-cyclodextrin and allyl isothiocyanate inclusion complexes (ß-CD:AITC) have been proposed for developing fresh fruit and vegetable packaging materials. Therefore, the aim of this research was to develop active materials based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) loaded with ß-CD:AITC and to assess changes in the material properties during the release of AITC to food simulants. PLA films with 0, 5 and 10 wt.% ß-CD:AITC were developed by extrusion. Surface properties were determined from contact angle measurements. Films were immersed in water, aqueous and fatty simulants to assess the absorption capacity and the change in the thermal properties. Moreover, the release of AITC in both simulants was evaluated by UV-spectroscopy and kinetic parameters were determined by data modeling. Results showed that a higher concentration of ß-CD:AITC increased the absorption of aqueous simulant of films, favoring the plasticization of PLA. However, the incorporation of ß-CD:AITC also avoided the swelling of PLA in fatty simulant. These effects and complex relationships between the polymer, inclusion complexes and food simulant explained the non-systematic behavior in the diffusion coefficient. However, the lower partition coefficient and higher percentage of released AITC to the fatty simulant suggested the potential of these materials for high-fat fruit and vegetable active packaging applications.

Bioactive antioxidant coatings for poly(lactic acid) packaging films: polyphenols affect coating structure and their release in a food simulant.

BACKGROUND: Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) has limited uses for moist and acidic foods due to its barrier properties, which are fairly poor, and its sensitivity to moisture. RESULTS: Deposition of thin coatings based on natural biopolymers (gelatin) incorporating bioactive agents has allowed the development of active packaging materials while maintaining their biodegradability and their food contact material ability. Gelatin coatings containing two phenolic acids (tannic and gallic) have been tested. These coated PLA films displayed a reduction of the moisture permeability and a slight modification of the thermal properties of PLA. The antioxidant properties of the films and their release kinetics in a simulant medium have been studied and modelled. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporation of phenolic acids induced interactions with the gelatin that modified the structure of the network and positively affected the retention, diffusivity, and transfer rate of the bioactive compounds when coated PLA films were in contact with the liquid simulant. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characterization of Food Packaging Films with Blackcurrant Fruit Waste as a Source of Antioxidant and Color Sensing Intelligent Material.

Chitosan and pectin films were enriched with blackcurrant pomace powder (10 and 20% (w/w)), as bio-based material, to minimize food production losses and to increase the functional properties of produced films aimed at food coatings and wrappers. Water vapor permeability of active films increased up to 25%, moisture content for 27% in pectin-based ones, but water solubility was not significantly modified. Mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation at break and Young's modulus) were mainly decreased due to the residual insoluble particles present in blackcurrant waste. FTIR analysis showed no significant changes between the film samples. The degradation temperatures, determined by DSC, were reduced by 18 °C for chitosan-based samples and of 32 °C lower for the pectin-based samples with blackcurrant powder, indicating a disturbance in polymer stability. The antioxidant activity of active films was increased up to 30-fold. Lightness and redness of dry films significantly changed depending on the polymer type. Significant color changes, especially in chitosan film formulations, were observed after exposure to different pH buffers. This effect is further explored in formulations that were used as color change indicators for intelligent biopackaging.

Effects of Candelilla and Carnauba Wax Incorporation on the Functional Properties of Edible Sodium Caseinate Films.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of candelilla (CAN) or carnauba wax (CAR) incorporation on functional properties of edible sodium caseinate (CAS) films. Glycerol and Tween-80 were used as the plasticizer and the emulsifier, respectively. The results showed that the incorporation of waxes increased film opacity, total color differences (∆E), and mechanical resistance and reduced film lightness, water vapor permeability (WVP), and elongation at break. Scanning electron microscopy showed heterogeneous structure of emulsion films with regular distribution of lipid particles. A different internal arrangement was observed as a function of the film composition with both layered and incorporated film structure. Films containing candelilla wax exhibited more regular lipid reorganization, which resulted in better water vapor barrier efficacy and mechanical resistance in comparison to control films. The presence of Tween-80 resulted in better dispersion of lipid particles in film-forming solutions and lower water solubility, lightness, film opacity, and water vapor permeability, whereas the total color differences (∆E) were significantly larger and the improvement in mechanical properties was also achieved.

Bioactive edible films for food applications:Influence of the bioactive compounds on film structure and properties.

Nowadays, a new generation of edible films is being especially designed for incorporating antimicrobials, antioxidants, enzymes or functional ingredients. Edible films made from natural biopolymers become the focus of many research works as an alternative to synthetic food packaging due to their edibility, biodegradability and compostability as well as to their use as active packaging. Active compounds incorporated in edible films could protect foods against deterioration during storage and therefore extend their shelf life. These active films were mainly studied for the bioactivity, as antimicrobial or antioxidant. However, they could also improve the structure and the physicochemical properties of films through chemical linkage with reactive groups of the polymer chains for instance. Moreover, changing the film structure under cross-linking reaction may increase the cohesion between polymer chains and active compounds, and therefore their retention in the polymer network to better control their release. This manuscript provides an overview on the effect of bio-active compounds incorporation on the film structure and functional properties. Depending on their structure, concentration, reactive groups,.., active compounds can act as plasticizer, but also as anti-plasticizer or cross-linking agents in the biopolymer matrix, and can thus ameliorate the water vapour and gas permeability. Therefore, the retention of bioactive compounds in the polymer network and their release can be better controlled. They can also provide a negative plasticizing effect on the film structure. Hence, the improvement of edible active film functionalities has been investigated to achieve suitable applications on foods.

Bioactive edible films for food applications: mechanisms of antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.

In order to improve the quality of food and to extend their shelf life, a new generation of active edible films is being especially intended after the incorporation of organic acids, enzymes, antimicrobial proteins, phenolic compounds, or other functional ingredients such as probiotics, flavors, vitamins and nutraceuticals. These active compounds have different mechanisms of action related to their structure, their concentration, the nature of micro-organism targeted, the process of encapsulation or incorporation in the biopolymer film-networks. The application of the active films by direct contact or indirect contact via the head space also affects the bioactivity of these compounds. This article critically reviews the published work on active edible-films and their applications for food preservation. The classes of active compounds and their action mechanisms are firstly discussed. Then, an extended overview on their effect on model food (simulants) or on real food during storage was also addressed. Edible films offer two main advantages over the direct incorporation of the antimicrobial or antioxidant agents into the bulk food: 1) to control the diffusion of active compounds at the surface of the food and 2) to reduce the amount of preservatives added in the food.

Relevance of Interactions between Starch-based Coatings and Plum Fruit Surfaces: A Physical-Chemical Analysis.

In order to extend the shelf life of the fruit, improve appearance, and to keep all nutrition properties of the plum from diminishing, edible coatings comprised of wheat starch and wheat starch-whey protein isolate (in ratio 80/20) were created. Stand-alone films were produced to assess properties which helped to understand the phenomena occurring on the surface level of coated plums. The properties of coatings based on starch are similar to starch coatings containing oil because the natural epicuticular wax layer of plums merges with coating materials. Adding oil doubled the contact angle value and the dispersive component of the surface tension. The workings of adhesion and cohesion, spreading coefficient, water absorption, water content, and solubility in water of the films decreased. Similar processes were observed on the fruits' surface. In appearance, the coating process is similar to polishing the plum surface for removing crystalline wax. The color parameters of coated fruits did not significantly change. Newly formed bonds or interactions established between starch, whey proteins, water, glycerol, and oil are displayed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. This work revealed how the interactions between the epicuticular wax on the fruit's surface and the hydrocolloid-based coatings affect the efficiency of the coatings.

Effects of carbohydrate/protein ratio on the microstructure and the barrier and sorption properties of wheat starch-whey protein blend edible films.

BACKGROUND: Starch and whey protein isolate and their mixtures were used for making edible films. Moisture sorption isotherms, water vapour permeability, sorption of aroma compounds, microstructure, water contact angle and surface properties were investigated. RESULTS: With increasing protein content, the microstructure changes became more homogeneous. The water vapour permeability increases with both the humidity gradient and the starch content. For all films, the hygroscopicity increases with starch content. Surface properties change according to the starch/whey protein ratio and are mainly related to the polar component of the surface tension. Films composed of 80% starch and 20% whey proteins have more hydrophobic surfaces than the other films due to specific interactions. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of carbohydrate/protein ratio significantly influences the microstructure, the surface wettability and the barrier properties of wheat starch-whey protein blend films. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Tuning the Functional Properties of Polysaccharide-Protein Bio-Based Edible Films by Chemical, Enzymatic, and Physical Cross-Linking.

Among natural biopolymers, polysaccharides and proteins are very promising for biodegradable and edible wraps with different characteristics, so that their formulations can be tailor-made to suit the needs of a specific commodity. Films prepared from polysaccharides have good gas barrier properties but exhibit lower resistance to moisture compared to protein films (edible) or polylactide films (biodegradable). Protein-based films show better mechanical and oxygen barrier properties compared to polysaccharide films. For that reason, film performances may be enhanced by producing blend systems, where hydrocolloids (mixtures of proteins and/or polysaccharides) form a continuous and more cohesive network. However, the lower water barrier properties of hydrocolloid films and their lower mechanical strength in comparison with synthetic polymers limit their applications in food packaging. Therefore, the enhancement of biopolymer film properties has been studied to attain appropriate applications. This review provides an extensive synthesis of the improvement of the properties of edible polysaccharide-protein films by way of various chemical, enzymatic, and physical methods. These methods primarily aim at improving the mechanical resistance. They also permit to ameliorate the water and gas barrier properties and related functional properties.

Techniques to measure sorption and migration between small molecules and packaging. A critical review.

The mass transfer parameters diffusion and sorption in food and packaging or between them are the key parameters for assessing a food product's shelf-life in reference to consumer safety. This has become of paramount importance owing to the legislations set by the regulated markets. The technical capabilities that can be exploited for analyzing product-package interactions have been growing rapidly. Different techniques categorized according to the state of the diffusant (gas or liquid) in contact with the packaging material are emphasized in this review. Depending on the diffusant and on the analytical question under review, the different ways to study sorption and/or migration are presented and compared. Some examples have been suggested to reach the best possible choice, consisting of a single technique or a combination of different approaches.

Barrier, structural and mechanical properties of bovine gelatin-chitosan blend films related to biopolymer interactions.

BACKGROUND: The increased use of synthetic packaging films has led to a high ecological problem due to their total non-biodegradability. Thus, there is a vital need to develop renewable and environmentally friendly bio-based polymeric materials. Films and coatings made from polysaccharide polymers, particularly chitosans and gelatins have good gas barrier properties and are envisaged more and more for applications in the biomedical and food fields, as well as for packaging. In this study a casting method was used to develop an edible plasticised film from chitosan and gelatin. Aiming to develop a blend film with enhanced properties, the effects of mixing chitosan (CS) and gelatin (G) in different proportions (CS:G, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, w/w) on functional and physico-chemical properties have been studied. RESULTS: Mean film thickness increased linearly (R2 =0.999) with surface density of the film forming solution. An enhancement of mechanical properties by increasing the tensile strength (38.7±11 MPa for pure chitosan and 76.8±9 MPa for pure gelatin film) was also observed in blends, due to gelatin content.When the gelatin content in blend filmswas increased an improvement of both water vapour barrier properties [(4±0.3)×10(-10) g m(-1) s(-1) Pa(-1) for pure chitosan and (2.5±0.14)×10(-10) g m(-1) s(-1) Pa(-1) for pure gelatin, at 70% RH gradient] and oxygen barrier properties ((822.62±90.24)×10(-12) g m(-1) s(-1) Pa(-1) for blend film chitosan:gelatin (25:75 w/w) and (296.67±18.76)×10(-12) g m(-1) s(-1) Pa(-1) for pure gelatin was observed. Fourier transform infrared spectra of blend films showed a shift in the peak positions related to the amide groups (amide-I and amide-III) indicating interactions between biopolymers. CONCLUSIONS: Addition of gelatin in chitosan induced greater functional properties (mechanical, barrier) due to chemical interactions, suggesting an inter-penetrated network.

Achievements in Applications of Antioxidants and Bioactive Compounds in Food: From Agriculture to Health Benefits.

Natural foods and food components are becoming increasingly popular worldwide because people are concerned about eating healthy diets [...].

Influence of Surface Corona Discharge Process on Functional and Antioxidant Properties of Bio-Active Coating Applied onto PLA Films.

PLA (polylactic acid) is one of the three major biopolymers available on the market for food packaging, which is both bio-based and biodegradable. However, its performance as a barrier to gases remains too weak to be used for most types of food, particularly oxygen-sensitive foods. A surface treatment, such as coating, is a potential route for improving the barrier properties and/or providing bioactive properties such as antioxidants. Gelatin-based coating is a biodegradable and food-contact-friendly solution for improving PLA properties. The initial adhesion of gelatin to the film is successful, both over time and during production, however, the coating often delaminates. Corona processing (cold air plasma) is a new tool that requires low energy and no solvents or chemicals. It has been recently applied to the food industry to modify surface properties and has the potential to significantly improve gelatin crosslinking. The effect of this process on the functional properties of the coating, and the integrity of the incorporated active compounds were investigated. Two coatings have been studied, a control fish gelatin-glycerol, and an active one containing gallic acid (GA) as a natural antioxidant. Three powers of the corona process were applied on wet coatings. In the test conditions, there were no improvements in the gelatin crosslinking, but the corona did not cause any structural changes. However, when the corona and gallic acid were combined, the oxygen permeability was significantly reduced, while free radical scavenging, reduction, and chelating properties remained unaffected or slightly improved.

Synergic versus Antagonist Effects of Rutin on Gallic Acid or Coumarin Incorporated into Chitosan Active Films: Impacts on Their Release Kinetics and Antioxidant Activity.

This work deals with the study of the release and antioxidant activity kinetics of three natural antioxidants associated as binary mixture (coumarin, and/or gallic acid and rutin) from chitosan films. Antioxidants were incorporated into film alone or in binary mixture. The aim was to determine the influence of rutin on the phenolic acid and benzopyrone. The UV-visible light transmission spectra of the films were also investigated. Neat chitosan films and chitosan incorporated coumarin exhibited high transmittance in the UV-visible light range, while GA-added chitosan films showed excellent UV light barrier properties. The molecular interactions between chitosan network and antioxidants were confirmed by FTIR where spectra displayed a shift of the amide-III peak. Rutin has a complex structure that can undergo ionization. The chitosan network structure induced change was found to influence the release behavior. The film containing rutin showed the highest antioxidant activity (65.58 ± 0.26%), followed by gallic acid (44.82 ± 3.73%), while coumarin displayed the lowest activity (27.27 ± 4.04%). The kinetic rate against DPPH-free radical of rutin is three times higher than coumarin. The kinetic rates were influenced by the structure and interactions of the antioxidants with chitosan. Rutin exhibited a slow release due to its molecular interactions with chitosan, while coumarin and gallic acid showed faster release. The diffusion coefficient of coumarin is 900 times higher than that of rutin. The rutin presence significantly delayed the release of the gallic acid and coumarin, suggesting an antagonistic effect. However, their presence weakly affects the release behavior of rutin.

Techno-functional characterization of gelatin extracted from the smooth-hound shark skins: Impact of pretreatments and drying methods.

Gelatin derived from marine by-products could be an interesting alternative to classic mammalian gelatin. The pretreatment and extraction conditions could influence the size of the resulting peptide chains and therefore their techno-functional properties. Thus, it is important to optimize the production process to get a gelatin for the appropriate applications. Skin pretreatment was done by microwaves or oven-drying and the extracted gelatin was dried by spray- or freeze-drying. Freeze-dried gelatin extracted from untreated skin (FGUS) had the highest gelatin yield (10.40%). Gelatin proximate composition showed that proteins were the major component (87.12-89.95%), while lipids showed the lowest contents (0.65-2.26%). Glycine showed the highest level (299-316/1000 residues) in the extracted gelatins. Proline and hydroxyproline residues of gelatins from untreated skin were significantly higher than those from pretreated skin-gelatin. FTIR spectra were characterized by peaks of the amide A (3430-3284 cm-1), B (3000-2931 cm-1), I (1636-1672 cm-1), II (1539-1586 cm-1) and III (1000-1107 cm-1). Spray-drying decreased the gelling properties of gelatins, since it reduced gelling and melting temperatures compared to freeze-drying. Skin pretreatment significantly reduced the gel strength of gelatin by about 50-100 g depending on the gelatin drying method. The FGUS showed better surface properties compared to other gelatins. The highest emulsion activity index (39.42 ± 1.02 m2/g) and foaming expansion (172.33 ± 2.35%) were measured at 3% FGUS. Therefore, the promising properties of freeze-dried gelatin derived from untreated skin, gave it the opportunity to be successfully used as a techno-functional ingredient in many formulations.

Sustainable 3D printing of oral films with tunable characteristics using CMC-based inks from durian rind wastes.

With the growing interest in environmentally friendly and personalized medicines, new concept for combining three-dimensional printing (3DP) with natural-based biomaterials derived from agro-food wastes has emerged. This approach provides sustainable solutions for agricultural waste management and potential for developing of novel pharmaceutical products with tunable characteristics. This work demonstrated the feasibility of fabricating personalized theophylline films with four different structures (Full, Grid, Star, and Hilbert) using syringe extrusion 3DP and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) derived from durian rind wastes. Our findings suggested that all the CMC-based inks with shear thinning properties capable of being extruded smoothly through a small nozzle could potentially be used to fabricate the films with various complex printing patterns and high structural fidelity. The results also demonstrated that the film characteristics and release profiles could be easily modified by simply changing the slicing parameters (e.g., infill density and printing pattern). Amongst all formulations, Grid film, which was 3D-printed with 40 % infill and a grid pattern, demonstrated a highly porous structure with high total pore volume. The voids between printing layers in Grid film increased theophylline release (up to 90 % in 45 min) through improved wetting and water penetration. All findings in this study provide significant insight into how to modify film characteristics simply by digitally changing the printing pattern in slicer software without creating a new CAD model. This approach could help to simplify the 3DP process so that non-specialist users can easily implement it in community pharmacies or hospital on demand.

Development of active edible coatings based on fish gelatin enriched with Moringa oleifera extract: Application in fish (Mustelus mustelus) fillet preservation.

An edible coating was developed using gelatin extracted from the skin of gray triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) and applied to the fillet of the smooth-hound shark (Mustelus mustelus). Moringa oleifera leaf extract was added to gelatin coating solution to improve its preservative properties. The phenolic profiles and antioxidant and antibacterial activities of M. oleifera extracts were determined. Phenolic acids constituted the largest group representing more than 77% of the total compounds identified in the ethanol/water (MOE/W) extract, among which the quinic acid was found to be the major one (31.48 mg/g extract). The MOE/W extract presented the highest DPPH• scavenging activity (IC50 = 0.53 ± 0.02 mg/ml) and reducing (Fe3+) power (EC0.5 = 0.57 ± 0.02 mg/ml), as well as interesting inhibition zones (20-35 mm) for the most tested strains. Coating by 3% of gelatin solution significantly reduced most deterioration indices during chilled storage, such as malondialdehyde (MDA), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), weight loss, pH, and mesophilic, psychrophilic, lactic, and H2S-producing bacterial counts. Interestingly, coating with gelatin solution containing MOE/W extract at 20 µg/ml was more effective than gelatin applied alone. Compared with the uncoated sample, gelatin-MOE/W coating reduced the weight loss and MDA content by 26% and 70% after 6 days of storage, respectively. Texture analysis showed that the strength of uncoated fillet increased by 46%, while the strength of fillet coated with gelatin-MOE/W only increased by 12% after 6 days of storage. Fish fillet coated with gelatin-MOE/W had the highest sensory scores in terms of odor, color, and overall acceptability throughout the study period.

Active biopackaging produced from by-products and waste from food and marine industries.

The agro-food industry cannot today do without packaging to preserve and above all market its products. Plastic materials coming mainly from petrochemicals have taken a predominant place in the food packaging sector. They have become indispensable in many sectors, from fresh to frozen products, from meat and dairy products to fruit and vegetables or almost-ready meals. Plastics are cheap, their lightness reduces transport costs, and their convenience is fundamental for out-of-home catering. However, plastics pose serious end-of-life issues. The development of materials that are more respectful of the consumer and the environment has become a major issue. In addition, the agro-food industries generate significant quantities of waste or by-products that are poorly or not at all recovered. However, these contain constituents that can be extracted or transformed to be compatible with packaging uses. Many molecules from waste materials are of particular interest for the development of active packaging such as biopolymers, bioactive agents, inorganic compounds, fibers, or nano- and micro-objects. Providing bioactive functions such as antioxidants or antimicrobials can extend the shelf life of food while reducing the sophistication of plastic materials and thus improving their recycling. This article summarizes the main materials and constituents that can be recovered from waste and illustrates through several examples what could be the applications of such new, sustainable, and active packaging.