Vegetable Waste in the Retail Sector: Evaluation and Possibilities for Use in New Product Development.

Food waste is a significant concern when it comes to food safety. It is a well-known fact that fruit and vegetable wastage is high worldwide; however, quantitative data, especially on such waste in the retail sector, are limited. Wasted vegetables are sources of essential dietary compounds, benefiting from their revalorization. Studies related to the evaluation of the quantity and quality of these vegetables discarded in the retail sector can allow for the proposal of relevant alternatives for their use and the guarantee of food safety. This study aimed to assess wasted vegetables (beetroot, carrot, chayote, and cucumber) in the city of Pirassununga (Brazil) and characterize the purees obtained from these vegetable wastes. The purees were characterized in terms of microbiological aspects, color, proximal and mineral composition, phenolic concentration, and antioxidant activity. It was observed that 90% of the discarded vegetables were free from microbiological contamination and could be considered suitable for consumption according to the adopted classifications. Additionally, the purees had high nutritional levels, such as phenolics and fiber. Thus, considering the high levels of vegetable waste generated in the retail sector, and high value nutritional, vegetable waste could be viable in the development of new products, making it an important retail strategy for the circular economy.

Oral Films Printed with Green Propolis Ethanolic Extract.

Oral film (OF) research has intensified due to the effortless administration and advantages related to absorption in systemic circulation. Chitosan is one of the polymers widely used in the production of OFs; however, studies evaluating the maintenance of the active principles' activity are incipient. Propolis has been widely used as an active compound due to its different actions. Printing techniques to incorporate propolis in OFs prove to be efficient. The objective of the present study is to develop and characterize oral films based on chitosan and propolis using printing techniques and to evaluate the main activities of the extract incorporated into the polymeric matrix. The OFs were characterized in relation to the structure using scanning and atomic force electron microscopy; the mechanical properties, disintegration time, wettability, and stability of antioxidant activity were evaluated. The ethanolic extract of green propolis (GPEE) concentration influenced the properties of the OFs. The stability (phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity) was reduced in the first 20 days, and after this period, it remained constant.

Bioactive Ingredients for Safe and Health-Promoting Functional Foods.

A full ingredient or a portion of food utilized as food for specific therapeutic purposes is referred to as a functional food [...].

Properties of Paperboard Coated with Natural Polymers and Polymer Blends: Effect of the Number of Coating Layers.

Paper is one of the packaging materials that presents a biodegradable character, being used in several areas; however, its barrier properties (gases and fat) and mechanics are reduced, which limits its application. Coating papers with synthetic polymers improve these properties, reducing their biodegradability and recyclability. The objective of this work was to develop and characterize coated paperboard, using the tape casting technique, with different ratios of film form agar-agar/chitosan (AA:CHI, 100:0, 50:50, and 0:100) and different numbers of coating layers (operating times for application of 14.25 min and 28.5 min for one and two layers, respectively). A significant reduction in water absorption capacity was found by applying a 0:100 coating (approximately 15%). Considering all coating formulations, the water vapor permeability reduced by 10 to 60% compared to uncoated paperboard, except for two layers coated with 0:100. The tensile index (independent of AA:CHI) was higher in the machine direction (22.59 to 24.99 MPa) than in the cross-section (11.87-13.01 MPa). Paperboard coated only with chitosan showed superior properties compared to the other formulation coatings evaluated.

Sustainable Coating Paperboard Packaging Material Based on Chitosan, Palmitic Acid, and Activated Carbon: Water Vapor and Fat Barrier Performance.

Synthetic polymer coatings impact the biodegradable behavior of cellulosic packaging material. The environmental consequences of food packaging disposal have increased consumer concern. The present study aimed to use natural polymer coatings incorporating palmitic acid and activated carbon applied to paperboard surfaces as a sustainable alternative to improve cellulosic packaging material's moisture and fat barrier properties, minimizing the environmental impact. The coating formulation was defined using a Factorial Experimental Design with independent variables: chitosan, palmitic acid, activated carbon concentrations, and the number of coating layers. The highest concentration of chitosan (2.0% w/w) filled the pores of the cellulosic paperboard network, supporting the compounds incorporated into the filmogenic matrix and improving the fat resistance. The water vapor permeability of the coated paperboard material (range: 101 ± 43 to 221 ± 13 g·d-1·m-2) was influenced by the hydrophobicity effect of palmitic acid, the non-polar characteristic of activated carbon, and the number of applied layers. The coating formulation selected was a chitosan concentration of 2.0% (w/w), a palmitic acid concentration of 1.8% (w/w), an activated carbon concentration of 1.2% (w/w), and an application of three layers. The coating provides the potential for a paperboard surface application, improving the cellulosic packaging material's fat and moisture barrier properties and maintaining biodegradability and recyclability.

Characterization of Films Produced with Cross-Linked Cassava Starch and Emulsions of Watermelon Seed Oils.

Starches are promising molecules in the production of edible films. However, the hydrophilic nature of these materials is among the main limitations of packaging based on natural polymers. An underexplored alternative is the incorporation of emulsions. This work aimed to produce films based on crosslinked cassava starch with emulsions based on watermelon seed oil (WSO) extracted with pressurized ethanol. The effect of incorporating watermelon seed oil emulsion (WSOE) on the microscopic, structural, mechanical, hydrophilic, and thermal properties of films was analyzed. The internal structure and roughness of the films were significantly affected by increasing WSOE concentration. The WSOE incorporation increased the elongation capacity of the films and reduced the strain at break. WSOE concentrations did not significantly affect the water solubility, permeability, and X-ray diffraction but decreased the wettability of the films. The analysis of the thermal properties showed that the films did not present phase separation in the studied temperature range. Overall, WSOE improved the properties of the films based on cross-linked cassava starch, but it is necessary to optimize the production conditions of the films. These materials may potentially be used as biodegradable food packaging, controlled-release films, and edible coatings in food protection.

Oral Films with Addition Mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) as a Source of Active Compounds.

The purpose of this study was to develop oral films (OFs) based on agar-agar with the incorporation of mushroom powder (MP) as a source of phenolic compounds. To this end, three different OFs were produced using different concentrations of MP, containing sorbitol and agar-agar. The OFs were characterized based on visual assessment, mass, thickness, moisture content, folding endurance, surface pH, contact angle, and phenolic compound content, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and FTIR, as well as an assessment of their antioxidant capacity. In general, all the OFs showed film-forming capacity after the incorporation of MP, although their mass, thickness, moisture content, and folding endurance differed significantly. The surface pH value remained close to neutrality (∼6.7), regardless of MP concentration. The incorporation of MP increased the crystallinity of the OFs in comparison to that of the agar-based film, but all the OFs showed similar FTIR spectra. The oral films containing 2 g of MP showed antioxidant capacity by ABTS●+ and FRAP of 3.68±0.23 and 14.61±0.66 mMol ET/g OF, respectively, and total phenolic content of 3.55±0.27 µmol GAE/g OF. Thus, oral films offer an innovative source of delivery of active compounds, and their consumption does not cause oral mucosal irritation.

Incorporation of pink pepper residue extract into chitosan film combined with a modified atmosphere packaging: Effects on the shelf life of salmon fillets.

Fresh salmon safety and quality is a major concern of consumers. In the current research, the effects of chitosan films incorporated with pink pepper residue extract and combined with modified atmosphere packaging (100% CO2) on quality properties of skinless salmon fillets during refrigerated storage (2 °C) were evaluated in the course of 28 days. Two different treatments as chitosan film (CF) and chitosan film incorporated with pink pepper residue extract (CFPP) and a control were compared. Salmon fillets were assessed for physicochemical (pH, WHC, TPA, Cie L*a*b*, TMA, TBA, value K), microbiological (mesophilic and psychrotrophic count, and lactic acid bacteria) and sensory properties. The results showed that CF and CFPP significantly reduced lipid oxidation relative to the control. Bacterial counts were significantly lower in CFPP, contributing to the significant reduction of trimethylamine. For sensory evaluation, CF and CFPP presented satisfactory results of off-odor and overall appearance. Despite being similar to the control, CFPP showed the lowest off-odor score. The results indicated that CFPP were more effective in maintaining the quality of salmon fillets during refrigerated storage.

Study of chitosan with different degrees of acetylation as cardboard paper coating.

The biodegradability of chitosan is significant for packaging systems. Another relevant property of chitosan is its degree of acetylation (DA), which affects other properties, such as crystallinity and hydrophobicity. The DA can be modulated by chitin deacetylation or even chitosan reacetylation. The novelty of this paper is the application of reacetylated chitosan as a coating for cardboard paper surfaces to improve the barrier and mechanical properties of the paper. Chitosan with 2% DA was reacetylated to yield chitosan with 48% DA. Both samples were applied as cardboard paper coating, and the coated materials were characterized. The paper-film system of chitosan with 2% DA had better water barrier and mechanical resistance. Heterogeneous deacetylation of chitin reduced the solubility of chitosan because molecular groups were distributed in blocks, increasing the hydrophobicity of the polymer.

Chitosan/Copaiba oleoresin films for would dressing application.

Biopolymeric films can be used as dressings for the treatment of skin burns and other chronic wounds. The healing properties of these films may be enhanced by the addition of Copaiba oil (Copaifera L.) which properties have already been well-described. The aim of this study was to evaluate the addition of Copaiba oil in chitosan films prepared by casting solvent evaporation technique using chitosan solution (2% or 1% wt/wt) and Copaiba oil (0.1 or 1.0% wt/wt) at different concentrations. Films were characterized by color analysis, scanning electron microscopy, mechanical properties, thermal analysis, and fluid handling capacity. The developed films demonstrated potential for wound dressing, translated by the fluid handling capacity similar to that of commercial dressings. While no surfactant was present in the formulation, the droplets of Copaiba oil were well-dispersed and homogeneously distributed in the chitosan matrix even after drying. The thermal analysis translated the occurrence of interactions between the oil and chitosan.