Research

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17 pages, 3769 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis of a Novel Chitosan/Basil Oil Blend and Development of Novel Low Density Poly Ethylene/Chitosan/Basil Oil Active Packaging Films Following a Melt-Extrusion Process for Enhancing Chicken Breast Fillets Shelf-Life

by Aris E. Giannakas, Constantinos E. Salmas, Areti Leontiou, Maria Baikousi, Dimitrios Moschovas, Georgios Asimakopoulos, Nikolaos E. Zafeiropoulos and Apostolos Avgeropoulos

Molecules 2021, 26(6), 1585; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26061585 - 13 Mar 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2556

Abstract

An innovative process for the adsorption of the hydrophobic Basil-Oil (BO) into the hydrophilic food byproduct chitosan (CS) and the development of an advanced low-density polyethylene/chitosan/basil-oil (LDPE/CS_BO) active packaging film was investigated in this work. The idea of this study was the use [...] Read more.

An innovative process for the adsorption of the hydrophobic Basil-Oil (BO) into the hydrophilic food byproduct chitosan (CS) and the development of an advanced low-density polyethylene/chitosan/basil-oil (LDPE/CS_BO) active packaging film was investigated in this work. The idea of this study was the use of the BO as both a bioactive agent and a compatibilizer. The CS was modified to a CS_BO hydrophobic blend via a green evaporation/adsorption process. This blend was incorporated directly in the LDPE to produce films with advanced properties. All the obtained composite films exhibited improved packaging properties. The film with 10% CS_BO content exhibited the best packaging properties, i.e., 33.0% higher tensile stress, 31.0% higher water barrier, 54.3% higher oxygen barrier, and 12.3% higher antioxidant activity values compared to the corresponding values of the LDPE films. The lipid oxidation values of chicken breast fillets which were packaged under vacuum using this film were measured after seven and after fourteen days of storage. These values were found to be lower by around 41% and 45%, respectively, compared with the corresponding lipid oxidation values of pure LDPE film. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging Strategies for Enhancing Food Product Shelf Life)

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17 pages, 2418 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Use of Sea Fennel as a Natural Ingredient of Edible Films for Extending the Shelf Life of Fresh Fish Burgers

by Daniel Rico, Irene Albertos, Oscar Martinez-Alvarez, M. Elvira Lopez-Caballero and Ana Belen Martin-Diana

Molecules 2020, 25(22), 5260; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25225260 - 11 Nov 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2487

Abstract

The growing interest from consumers toward healthy and nutritious products and their benefits for health has increased the consumption of whole and processed fish. One of the main problems of fish is the short shelf life, especially when it is processed as in [...] Read more.

The growing interest from consumers toward healthy and nutritious products and their benefits for health has increased the consumption of whole and processed fish. One of the main problems of fish is the short shelf life, especially when it is processed as in the case of burgers. The use of edible coating is an interesting strategy to extend the quality and safety of the product, reducing the need for artificial preservatives. This study evaluated the use of chitosan-based edible film formulated with sea fennel plant and sea fennel extracts. The analyses showed than the use of edible film extended the shelf life of fish burgers regardless of the incorporation of sea fennel mainly associated to the gas barrier properties and selective permeability of the film applied to the fish surface. The incorporation of sea fennel in the films did not produce any antimicrobial enhancement, although sea fennel (mostly extract) produced a better pH and enhanced the antioxidant properties and lipid oxidation of fish burgers. However, sensory analyses showed than fish burgers coated with sea fennel film plant had better acceptability than those with sea fennel extracts, probably due to the better odour and colour of the whole plant during storage. The study showed that the use of sea fennel plant at 12.5% extended the shelf life of fish burgers using a safe and clean label strategy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging Strategies for Enhancing Food Product Shelf Life)

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16 pages, 1279 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High Carbon Dioxide Treatment Modulates Sugar Metabolism and Maintains the Quality of Fresh-Cut Pear Fruit

by Di Wang, Quan Ma, Tarun Belwal, Dong Li, Wenxuan Li, Li Li and Zisheng Luo

Molecules 2020, 25(18), 4261; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25184261 - 17 Sep 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2523

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of 10% carbon dioxide (CO₂) on the fruit quality and sugar metabolism of fresh-cut pear during storage. The results indicated that carbon dioxide treatment maintained fruit quality by delaying the decline [...] Read more.

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of 10% carbon dioxide (CO₂) on the fruit quality and sugar metabolism of fresh-cut pear during storage. The results indicated that carbon dioxide treatment maintained fruit quality by delaying the decline of firmness and promoting the accumulation of total soluble solids (TSS). Moreover, carbon dioxide enhanced activities of sucrose synthase (SS), and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS). The activities of amylase, acid invertase (AI), neutral invertase (NI), SS-cleavage, fructokinase (FK), hexokinase (HK), sorbitol oxidase (SOX), NAD-dependent sorbitol dehydrogenase (NAD-SDH), and NADP-SDH in CO₂-treated fruit were inhibited. Expression levels of key genes were found to correspond with the related enzyme activities. As a result, the accumulation of glucose, fructose, sorbitol, and sucrose were accelerated by CO₂, which were 12.58%, 13.86%, 24.7%, and 13.9% higher than those of the control at the end of storage, respectively. The results showed that CO₂ could maintain the quality of fresh-cut pears by regulating the conversion of various sugar components to enhance soluble sugars content. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging Strategies for Enhancing Food Product Shelf Life)

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14 pages, 1111 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hypobaric Packaging Prolongs the Shelf Life of Refrigerated Black Truffles (Tuber melanosporum)

by Sara Savini, Edoardo Longo, Andrea Servili, Sergio Murolo, Massimo Mozzon, Gianfranco Romanazzi and Emanuele Boselli

Molecules 2020, 25(17), 3837; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25173837 - 24 Aug 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2335

Abstract

Black truffle (Tuber melanosporum Vitt.) is a fine agro-food product known for its unique aroma and very limited shelf life (maximum of 5–7 days, room temperature). Hypobaric packaging at 30 kPa, a mix of 1% O₂/99% N₂, and [...] Read more.

Black truffle (Tuber melanosporum Vitt.) is a fine agro-food product known for its unique aroma and very limited shelf life (maximum of 5–7 days, room temperature). Hypobaric packaging at 30 kPa, a mix of 1% O₂/99% N₂, and 40% CO₂/60% N₂ were studied to prolong the shelf life of black truffle at 4 °C in sealed polypropylene vessels, compared to normal atmosphere. Epiphytic microbial population, firmness, weight loss, CO₂ formation, and sensory properties were monitored weekly up to 35 days of storage and were related to the volatile profile. Principal components analysis revealed good correlation between the storage time and the decrease of firmness, and the increase of the microbial count and CO₂ production. Only truffles stored under hypobaric conditions showed an acceptable quality after 14 days storage. Hypobaric packaging is a cheap strategy to prevent the swelling of vessels caused by respiration and can reduce the deviation from the high-quality level of the fresh product from one to at least two weeks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging Strategies for Enhancing Food Product Shelf Life)

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21 pages, 6617 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Baking Optimization as a Strategy to Extend Shelf-Life through the Enhanced Quality and Bioactive Properties of Pulse-Based Snacks

by Daniel Rico, Ana M. González-Paramás, Cristina Brezmes and Ana Belén Martín-Diana

Molecules 2020, 25(16), 3716; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25163716 - 14 Aug 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2166

Abstract

Food processing optimization can enhance the nutrient bioavailability, storage time, and stability of convenience foods. Baking is a heat and mass transfer process with a high impact on the shelf-life of the obtained product; a small variation in the parameters during baking can [...] Read more.

Food processing optimization can enhance the nutrient bioavailability, storage time, and stability of convenience foods. Baking is a heat and mass transfer process with a high impact on the shelf-life of the obtained product; a small variation in the parameters during baking can lead to significant changes in the end baked product, as it significantly affects the food nutrient profile and bioactive compounds. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used for mapping a response surface over a particular region of interest of baking conditions. The combined effect of the two factors (baking temperature and time) on the selected quality and bioactive parameters as dependent factors was evaluated in order to predict the optimal baking conditions which can facilitate the extended shelf-life of the product through maximizing the antioxidant bioactive properties. This design was used to develop models to predict the effect of the temperature and time baking profile and select those conditions where the quality and bioactive parameters reached a balance to obtain pulse snacks with a high quality, enhanced bioactive properties, and thus a longer shelf-life. Simultaneous optimization by the desirability function showed that a maximum temperature of 210 °C and a time of 14 min were the optimum conditions to produce a pulse-based snack with high antioxidant-antihypertensive activity and nutritional quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging Strategies for Enhancing Food Product Shelf Life)

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20 pages, 1255 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combined Effect of Modified Atmosphere Packaging and UV-C Radiation on Pathogens Reduction, Biogenic Amines, and Shelf Life of Refrigerated Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Fillets

by César A. Lázaro, Maria Lúcia G. Monteiro and Carlos A. Conte-Junior

Molecules 2020, 25(14), 3222; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25143222 - 15 Jul 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2676

Abstract

This study investigated the isolated effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP; 50% CO₂ and 50% N₂) and ultraviolet radiation (UV; 0.30 J/cm²) as well as their combined (MAP/UV) effect on reduction of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7, [...] Read more.

This study investigated the isolated effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP; 50% CO₂ and 50% N₂) and ultraviolet radiation (UV; 0.30 J/cm²) as well as their combined (MAP/UV) effect on reduction of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7, biogenic amines (BA), and on shelf life of tilapia fillets stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 10 days. UV samples had the highest reduction of S. typhimurium (1.13 log colony forming units/g; CFU/g) and E. coli O157:H7 (0.70 log CFU/g). MAP and MAP/UV reduced the growth of S. typhimurium in 0.50 log CFU/g and did not affect the growth of E. coli O157:H7. UV, MAP, and MAP/UV increased lag phase and/or generation time of all evaluated bacterial groups, decreased pH values, ammonia formation, texture changes, and, in general, the BA formation throughout storage period, and, therefore, UV, MAP, and MAP/UV extended the shelf life for two, three, and at least five days, respectively. MAP/UV, MAP, and UV decreased redness, MAP/UV and MAP increased yellowness and lipid oxidation, while UV did not affect it. MAP/UV demonstrated promising results for shelf life extension; however, different gas ratios in combination with other ultraviolet radiation type C (UV-C) doses should be investigated to reach the highest microbiological safety and maintenance of the overall quality of tilapia fillets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging Strategies for Enhancing Food Product Shelf Life)

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12 pages, 1080 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Sporulation Conditions Following Submerged Cultivation on the Resistance of Bacillus atrophaeus Spores against Inactivation by H₂O₂

by Philipp Stier and Ulrich Kulozik

Molecules 2020, 25(13), 2985; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25132985 - 30 Jun 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3253

Abstract

The resistance formation of spores in general and of Bacillus atrophaeus in particular has long been the focus of science in the bio-defense, pharmaceutical and food industries. In the food industry, it is used as a biological indicator (BI) for the evaluation of [...] Read more.

The resistance formation of spores in general and of Bacillus atrophaeus in particular has long been the focus of science in the bio-defense, pharmaceutical and food industries. In the food industry, it is used as a biological indicator (BI) for the evaluation of the inactivation effects of hydrogen peroxide in processing and end packaging lines’ sterilization. Defined BI resistances are critical to avoid false positive and negative tests, which are salient problems due to the variable resistance of currently available commercial BIs. Although spores for use as BIs have been produced for years, little is known about the influence of sporulation conditions on the resistance as a potential source of random variability. This study therefore examines the dependence of spore resistance on the temperature, pH and partial oxygen saturation during submerged production in a bioreactor. For this purpose, spores were produced under different sporulation conditions and their resistance, defined by the D-value, was determined using a count reduction test in tempered 35% liquid hydrogen peroxide. The statistical analysis of the test results shows a quadratic dependence of the resistance on the pH, with the highest D-values at neutral pH. The sporulation temperature has a linear influence on the resistance. The higher the temperature, the higher the D-value. However, these factors interact with each other, which means that the temperature only influences the resistance when the pH is within a certain range. The oxygen partial pressure during sporulation has no significant influence. Based on the data obtained, a model could be developed enabling the resistance of BIs to be calculated, predicted and standardized depending on the sporulation conditions. BI manufacturers could thus produce BIs with defined resistances for the validation of sterilization effects in aseptic packaging/filling lines for the reliable manufacture of shelf-stable and safe food products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging Strategies for Enhancing Food Product Shelf Life)

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16 pages, 1738 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High-CO₂ Modified Atmosphere Packaging with Superchilling (−1.3 ^°C) Inhibit Biochemical and Flavor Changes in Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) during Storage

by Jun Mei, Feng Liu, Shiyuan Fang, Weiqing Lan and Jing Xie

Molecules 2020, 25(12), 2826; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25122826 - 19 Jun 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2209

Abstract

The effects of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in combination with superchilling (−1.3 °C) on the physicochemical properties, flavor retention, and organoleptic evaluation of turbot samples were investigated during 27 days storage. Results showed that high-CO₂ packaging (70% or 60% CO₂) [...] Read more.

The effects of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in combination with superchilling (−1.3 °C) on the physicochemical properties, flavor retention, and organoleptic evaluation of turbot samples were investigated during 27 days storage. Results showed that high-CO₂ packaging (70% or 60% CO₂) combined with superchilling could reduce the productions of off-flavor compounds, including total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and ATP-related compounds. Twenty-four volatile organic compounds were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) during storage, including eight alcohols, 11 aldehydes, and five ketones. The relative content of off-odor volatiles, such as 1-octen-3-ol, 1-penten-3-ol, (E)-2-octenal, octanal, and 2,3-octanedione, was also reduced by high-CO₂ packaging during superchilling storage. Further, 60% CO₂/10% O₂/30% N₂ with superchilling (−1.3 °C) could retard the water migration on the basis of the water holding capacity, low field NMR, and MRI results, and maintain the quality of turbot according to organoleptic evaluation results during storage Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging Strategies for Enhancing Food Product Shelf Life)

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Review

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22 pages, 985 KiB

Open AccessReview

Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) Nanocomposites: Effect of Inorganic Nanoparticles Reinforcement on Its Performance and Food Packaging Applications

by Mehrajfatema Zafar Mulla, Md Ramim Tanver Rahman, Begonya Marcos, Brijesh Tiwari and Shivani Pathania

Molecules 2021, 26(7), 1967; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26071967 - 31 Mar 2021

Cited by 57 | Viewed by 6580

Abstract

Poly lactic acid (PLA) is a compostable, as well as recyclable, sustainable, versatile and environmentally friendly alternative, because the monomer of PLA-lactide (LA) is extracted from natural sources. PLA’s techno-functional properties are fairly similar to fossil-based polymers; however, in pristine state, its brittleness [...] Read more.

Poly lactic acid (PLA) is a compostable, as well as recyclable, sustainable, versatile and environmentally friendly alternative, because the monomer of PLA-lactide (LA) is extracted from natural sources. PLA’s techno-functional properties are fairly similar to fossil-based polymers; however, in pristine state, its brittleness and delicacy during processing pose challenges to its potential exploitation in diverse food packaging applications. PLA is, therefore, re-engineered to improve its thermal, rheological, barrier and mechanical properties through nanoparticle (NP) reinforcement. This review summarises the studies on PLA-based nanocomposites (PLA NCs) developed by reinforcing inorganic metal/metallic oxide, graphite and silica-based nanoparticles (NPs) that exhibit remarkable improvement in terms of storage modulus, tensile strength, crystallinity, glass transition temperature (Tg) value, antimicrobial property and a decrease in water vapour and oxygen permeability when compared with the pristine PLA films. This review has also discussed the regulations around the use of metal oxide-based NPs in food packaging, PLA NC biodegradability and their applications in food systems. The industrial acceptance of NCs shows highly promising perspectives for the replacement of traditional petrochemical-based polymers currently being used for food packaging. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging Strategies for Enhancing Food Product Shelf Life)

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