Formulation and characterization of a corn starch-soy protein isolate coacervate for encapsulation of fennel essential oil and its application in the pre-velveting of chicken cubes.

Development of an Active Almond Gum/Gelatin Bio-Composite Film With Rosemary Essential Oil for Extending the Shelf Life of Refrigerated Chicken Fillets.

This study investigated the development and optimization of a bioactive edible film based on almond gum-gelatin matrix incorporated with rosemary essential oil (REO) and plasticized with glycerol, using a Box-Behnken design (BBD). The optimization process proved high reliability with adjusted coefficients of determination (R2 adj) ranging consistently between 0.986 and 0.999 across all studied responses. The optimized formulation (5% almond gum, 2% REO, and 24.8% glycerol) achieved a tensile strength of 29.23 MPa and an antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH]) of 79.012%. FTIR analysis of the optimized film showed a successful cross-linking and intermolecular hydrogen bonding between biopolymers and REO, while DSC thermograms proved enhanced thermal stability of the composite matrix. Characterization revealed low opacity and high antimicrobial activity with > 16 mm of inhibition zones against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus, by the agar disk diffusion method. Applied on refrigerated chicken fillets for 12 days, the active film significantly suppressed microbial proliferation (TAB, Pseudomonas spp, and psychrotrophic bacteria) compared to control samples. It also significantly retarded chemical alteration, maintaining total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N: 25.12 mg/100 g) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS: 0.38 mg malondialdehyde [MDA]/kg) within acceptable limits. These results confirm that the optimized active edible film can be an important transition as an active protection system, delaying microbial proliferation, sensory shelf life, and lipid oxidation of refrigerated poultry meat from 6 days (control) to 12 days.

Optimization, Characterization, and Application of Soy Protein Isolate–Catechin Composite Microspheres in Emulsified Beef Balls

Hybrid Cryogels Based on Pectin and Cassava and Arrowroot Starches: Process Optimization and Physicochemical, Morphological, Rheological, and Thermal Properties

This study developed high-absorption cryogels from pectin and cassava starch by optimizing polymer concentrations (5.7% pectin, 5% starch), homogenization speed (5250 rpm), and time (3.5 min). Arrowroot starch was additionally tested to validate the predictive model. Characterization included oil absorption, morphology, physicochemical/thermal properties, texture analysis, kinetics of water and oil absorption, and rheological testing. The optimized cryogels demonstrated exceptional absorption capacities (water: 1002–1027%; oil: 274–408%) while maintaining structural and thermal stability. Starch incorporation reduced pectin’s macroporosity, enhancing material cohesion. The established quadratic model successfully predicted water absorption behavior in these physically crosslinked cryogels. Their unique combination of high porosity, thermal resistance, and mechanical stability suggests promising applications in active food packaging, particularly for liquid exudate absorption during storage. The research presents an effective method for producing biodegradable, functional materials through physical crosslinking, eliminating the need for chemical modifiers. These findings contribute to sustainable packaging solutions with tunable fluid absorption properties.

A green, chemical crosslinker-ternary macromolecular film from soy protein, Camellia waste, and carrageenan via Maillard reaction for food preservation.

Bio-based packaging films are promising alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, but their application is limited by chemical crosslinkers, high feedstock costs, and performance-sustainability trade-offs. Here, a crosslinker-free ternary film (SCC) was fabricated from soy protein isolate, Camellia oleifera cake extract (COCE), and carrageenan via Maillard-induced glycation. Under optimized conditions (95 °C, pH 8.5), Maillard covalent crosslinking formed a compact network, improving physicochemical properties. Compared with SC film, SCC showed a 4.4% lower swelling ratio, water vapor permeability of 2.019 × 10-12 g·mm-1·Pa-1·h-1, and enhanced tensile strength and compactness. DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities increased by 64% and 48%, respectively, and SCC exhibited potent antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. In preservation tests, SCC delayed moisture loss and ascorbic acid degradation in blueberries, retaining 51% of the initial vitamin C after 8 d. It also suppressed pH rise and metmyoglobin accumulation in pork, achieving 12% higher weight retention than the control. Moreover, the all-biomass SCC film degraded rapidly (78% weight loss in 14 d) in soil without toxic residues. This study demonstrates an effective strategy for high-value utilization of Camellia oleifera cake waste to develop sustainable food-packaging materials.

Construction of chitosan-sodium alginate core-shell microcapsules and their dual-functional application in tobacco mildew prevention and flavor preservation

ABSTRACT Mold contamination and aroma depletion remain critical challenges during tobacco storage. Conventional chemical antifungal agents present residue risks, whereas the direct application of free fragrances is heavily constrained by their rapid volatilization. Herein, we engineered dual-functional core-shell microcapsules via a secondary cross-linking coupled with a vacuum freeze-drying process, encapsulating highly volatile vanillin and citral within a biodegradable chitosan-sodium alginate polyelectrolyte shell. Formulation optimization via an orthogonal array design (L9(34)) identified the optimal parameters as 1.2% chitosan with a 1:2 core-to-wall ratio. Under these conditions, the vanillin and citral microcapsules exhibited high encapsulation efficiencies of 14.23 ± 0.85% and 13.58 ± 0.79%, respectively, alongside highly suppressed 75-day cumulative release rates of 33.8% and 24.8%, respectively. Notably, the citral-loaded microcapsules demonstrated exceptional antifungal efficacy, achieving complete (100.0%) and 96.6 ± 1.1% inhibition against Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger, respectively. Furthermore, during a 28-day accelerated tobacco aging trial, the microcapsule treatment reduced mold proliferation by over two orders of magnitude (>99.8%) and retained >65.0% of key aroma components, substantially enhancing the sensory quality. This study proposes an innovative “distal-proximal” synergistic strategy, providing an efficient, eco-friendly platform for simultaneous microbial control and aroma retention in active preservation materials.

Response surface methodology-guided design of oil-in-water emulsions coated with complex coacervates for precision intestinal delivery of sulforaphane.

Sulforaphane (SFN) is structurally unstable and sensitive to pH variations. This study developed O/W emulsions coated with complex coacervate (ECC) composed of mung bean protein isolate (MPI) and ι-carrageenan. The SFN-loaded ECC (SFN-ECC) was fabricated to enhance stability and targeted delivery. A two-stage response surface methodology was applied to sequentially optimize the formulation, targeting emulsion stability and size first, then coacervate coating yield and encapsulation efficiency. The optimal parameters were identified as 8793 rpm, 54% oil, 0.6% ι-carrageenan, 1.17% MPI, and pH 3.71. The resulting SFN-ECC exhibited a compact core-shell morphology and improved thermal stability due to strong protein-polysaccharide interactions. In vitro digestion models demonstrated that SFN-ECC minimized gastric release to 6.9% while enhancing controlled intestinal delivery to 45.1%. This dual-layer encapsulation suppresses premature release under gastric conditions and enables controlled release at the intestinal stage, offering a strategy to improve the bioavailability of unstable lipophilic bioactives in functional foods.