Valorization of Cork Stoppers, Coffee-Grounds and Walnut Shells in the Development and Characterization of Pectin-Based Composite Films: Physical, Barrier, Antioxidant, Genotoxic, and Biodegradation Properties.

The development of sustainable materials from the valorization of waste is a good alternative to reducing the negative environmental impact of plastic packaging. The objectives of this study were to develop and characterize pectin-based composite films incorporated with cork or cork with either coffee grounds or walnut shells, as well as to test the films' genotoxicity, antioxidant properties, and biodegradation capacity in soil and seawater. The addition of cork, coffee grounds, or walnut shells modified the films' characteristics. The results showed that those films were thicker (0.487 ± 0.014 mm to 0.572 ± 0.014 mm), more opaque (around 100%), darker (L* = 25.30 ± 0.78 to 33.93 ± 0.84), and had a higher total phenolic content (3.17 ± 0.01 mg GA/g to 4.24 ± 0.02 mg GA/g). On the other hand, the films incorporated only with cork showed higher values of elongation at break (32.24 ± 1.88% to 36.30 ± 3.25%) but lower tensile strength (0.91 ± 0.19 MPa to 1.09 ± 0.08 MPa). All the films presented more heterogeneous and rougher microstructures than the pectin film. This study also revealed that the developed films do not contain DNA-reactive substances and that they are biodegradable in soil and seawater. These positive properties could subsequently make the developed films an interesting eco-friendly food packaging solution that contributes to the valorization of organic waste and by-products, thus promoting the circular economy and reducing the environmental impact of plastic materials.

Incorporation of curcumin-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles into yogurt: Tribo-rheological properties and dynamic in vitro digestion.

The incorporation of nanostructures loaded with bioactive compounds into food matrices is a promising approach to develop new functional foods with improved nutritional, health profiles and good sensorial properties. The rheological and tribological properties of yogurt enriched with curcumin-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) were evaluated. Also, the TCA solubility index, the bioaccessibility of curcumin and cell viability were assessed after dynamic in vitro digestion. The presence of SLN in yogurt did not affect its rheological properties; however, SLN addition increased the lubrication capability of yogurt. After in vitro digestion, yogurt with added SLN (yogurt_SLN) presented a lower TCA solubility index (22 %) than the plain yogurt (39 %). The bioaccessibility and stability of curcumin were statistically similar for yogurt_SLN (30 % and 42 %, respectively) and SLN alone (20 % and 39 %, respectively). Regarding cell viability results, the intestinal digesta filtrates of both controls (i.e., SLN alone and plain yogurt) did not affect significantly the cell viability, while the yogurt_SLN presented a possible cytotoxic effect at the concentrations tested. In general, the incorporation of SLN into yogurt seemed to promote the mouthfeel of the yogurt and did not adversely affect the bioaccessibility of curcumin. However, the interaction of SLN and yogurt matrix seemed to have a cytotoxic effect after in vitro digestion, which should be further investigated. Despite that, SLN has a high potential to be used as nanostructure in a functional food as a strategy to increase the bioactive compounds' bioaccessibility.

Chitosan Coating Functionalized with Flaxseed Oil and Green Tea Extract as a Bio-Based Solution for Beef Preservation.

Ecological and safe packaging solutions arise as pivotal points in the development of an integrated system for sustainable meat production. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a combined chitosan (Ch) + green tea extract (GTE) + essential oil (thyme oil, TO; flaxseed oil, FO; or oregano oil, OO) coating on the safety and quality of vacuum-packaged beef during storage at 4 °C. An optimized bio-based coating formulation was selected (2% Ch + 2% GTE + 0.1% FO) to be applied to three fresh beef cuts (shoulder, Sh; knuckle, Kn; Striploin, St) based on its pH (5.8 ± 0.1), contact angle (22.3 ± 0.4°) and rheological parameters (viscosity = 0.05 Pa.s at shear rate > 20 s-1). Shelf-life analysis showed that the Ch-GTE-FO coating delayed lipid oxidation and reduced total viable counts (TVC) and Enterobacteriaceae growth compared with uncoated beef samples over five days. In addition, Ch-GTE-FO coating decreased total color changes of beef samples (e.g., ∆E* = 9.84 and 3.94, for non-coated and coated Kn samples, respectively) for up to five days. The original textural parameters (hardness, adhesiveness and springiness) of beef cuts were maintained during storage when Ch-GTE-FO coating was applied. Based on the physicochemical and microbial characterization results, the combination of the Ch-GTE-FO coating developed was effective in preserving the quality of fresh beef cuts during refrigerated storage along with vacuum packaging.

Postharvest Quality Improvement of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Fruit Using a Nanomultilayer Coating Containing Aloe vera.

The effectiveness of an alginate/chitosan nanomultilayer coating without (NM) and with Aloe vera liquid fraction (NM+Av) was evaluated on the postharvest quality of tomato fruit at 20 °C and 85% relative humidity (RH) to simulate direct consumption. Both nanomultilayer coatings had comparable effects on firmness and pH values. However, the NM+Av coating significantly reduced weight loss (4.5 ± 0.2%) and molds and yeasts (3.5-4.0 log CFU g-1) compared to uncoated fruit (16.2 ± 1.2% and 8.0 ± 0.0 log CFU g-1, respectively). It notably lowered O2 consumption by 70% and a 52% decrease in CO2 production, inhibiting ethylene synthesis. Visual evaluation confirmed NM+Av's efficacy in preserving the postharvest quality of tomato. The preservation of color, indicated by the Minolta color (a*/b*) values, demonstrated NM+Av's ability to keep the light red stage compared to uncoated fruit. The favorable effects of NM+Av coating on enhancing postharvest quality indicates it as a potential alternative for large-scale tomato fruit preservation.

Development and Characterization of Pectin Films with Salicornia ramosissima: Biodegradation in Soil and Seawater.

Pectin films were developed by incorporating a halophyte plant Salicornia ramosissima (dry powder from stem parts) to modify the film's properties. The films' physicomechanical properties, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and microstructure, as well as their biodegradation capacity in soil and seawater, were evaluated. The inclusion of S. ramosissima significantly increased the thickness (0.25 ± 0.01 mm; control 0.18 ± 0.01 mm), color parameters a* (4.96 ± 0.30; control 3.29 ± 0.16) and b* (28.62 ± 0.51; control 12.74 ± 0.75), water vapor permeability (1.62 × 10-9 ± 1.09 × 10-10 (g/m·s·Pa); control 1.24 × 10-9 ± 6.58 × 10-11 (g/m·s·Pa)), water solubility (50.50 ± 5.00%; control 11.56 ± 5.56%), and elongation at break (5.89 ± 0.29%; control 3.91 ± 0.62%). On the other hand, L* (48.84 ± 1.60), tensile strength (0.13 ± 0.02 MPa), and Young's modulus (0.01 ± 0 MPa) presented lower values compared with the control (L* 81.20 ± 1.60; 4.19 ± 0.82 MPa; 0.93 ± 0.12 MPa), while the moisture content varied between 30% and 45%, for the film with S. ramosissima and the control film, respectively. The addition of S. ramosissima led to opaque films with relatively heterogeneous microstructures. The films showed also good biodegradation capacity-after 21 days in soil (around 90%), and after 30 days in seawater (fully fragmented). These results show that pectin films with S. ramosissima may have great potential to be used in the future as an eco-friendly food packaging material.

Curcumin encapsulation in nanostructures for cancer therapy: A 10-year overview.

Curcumin (CUR) is a phenolic compound present in some herbs, including Curcuma longa Linn. (turmeric rhizome), with a high bioactive capacity and characteristic yellow color. It is mainly used as a spice, although it has been found that CUR has interesting pharmaceutical properties, acting as a natural antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antitumoral agent. Nonetheless, CUR is a hydrophobic compound with low water solubility, poor chemical stability, and fast metabolism, limiting its use as a pharmacological compound. Smart drug delivery systems (DDS) have been used to overcome its low bioavailability and improve its stability. The current work overviews the literature from the past 10 years on the encapsulation of CUR in nanostructured systems, such as micelles, liposomes, niosomes, nanoemulsions, hydrogels, and nanocomplexes, emphasizing its use and ability in cancer therapy. The studies highlighted in this review have shown that these nanoformulations achieved higher solubility, improved tumor cytotoxicity, prolonged CUR release, and reduced side effects, among other interesting advantages.