A simple, efficient and economic method for obtaining iodate-rich chili pepper based chitosan edible thin film.

The present study was aimed at designing an iodine supplement in form of edible film made of iodate-coated chitosan (CS-IO3). Inclusion of so obtained films in diet can help in preventing thyroid cancer, leading to improved public health. Chili pepper was coated with iodate thin film (1.5 µm). The iodate-rich film is ready-to-eat serving valuable nutrients. Stability studies of CS-IO3 film using water dipping revealed that there was no leaching of iodate ion, due to the strong interactions between cationic amino group of chitosan and iodate ion. The film showed no change in its antioxidant activity. Iodate concentration in the film was determined at 620 nm selectively, based on the decolorization of malachite green economic method. Iodate content in fruits coated with 1.5% (w/v) CS-IO3 was 11.5 mg g-1 of dry film sample. The iodate-rich samples could be stored without much effect on its freshness, indicating a good shelf life.

Phytochemicals in Capsicum oleoresin from different varieties of hot chilli peppers with their antidiabetic and antioxidant activities due to some phenolic compounds.

Due to its wide use in nutritional therapy, a capsicum oleoresin extraction from hot chilli pepper was optimized using ultrasound assisted extraction. Under optimal conditions, a 0.1g sample in 10mL of a 20% water in methanol solution was extracted at 50°C for 20min to remove phytochemicals consisting of oleoresin, phenolics, carotenoids, flavonoids, capsaicinoids (pungency level), reducing sugars. Antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of the crude extracts from 14 chilli pepper varieties were examined. The antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of some phenolic compounds were also tested individually. The results showed that these chilli pepper samples are a rich source of phytochemicals with antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. High antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-sulfonic acid) and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power assays. The crude extracts had a lower level of sugars induced by the inhibitory effect of α-amylase activity. Thus, their enzymatic inhibitory effect might have resulted from a synergism among the phytochemicals concerned. Therefore, a diet with this type of food may have beneficial health effects.

An iodine supplementation of tomato fruits coated with an edible film of the iodide-doped chitosan.

In general, the risk of numerous thyroid cancers inevitably increases among people with iodine deficiencies. An iodide-doped chitosan (CT-I) solution was prepared for dipping tomatoes to coat the fresh surface with an edible film (1.5 µm), thereby providing iodine-rich fruits for daily intake. Characterisation of the thin film was conducted by FTIR and SEM. Stability of the CT-I film was studied via water immersion at various time intervals, and no residual iodide leached out due to intrinsic interactions between the cationic amino group of chitosan and iodide ions. Moreover, the iodide supplement exhibited no effect on the antioxidant activity of tomatoes. The iodine content in the film-coated tomato was determined by ICP-OES. The tomato coating with 1.5% (w/v) CT-I contained approximately 0.4 µg iodide per gram fresh weight. In addition, the freshness and storability of iodine-doped tomatoes were also maintained for shelf-life concerns.