Perspectives for chitosan based antimicrobial films in food applications

Recently, increasing attention has been paid to develop and test films with antimicrobial properties in order to improve food safety and shelf life. Active biomolecules such as chitosan and its derivatives have a significant role in food application area in view of recent outbreaks of contaminations associated with food products as well as growing concerns regarding the negative environmental impact of packaging materials currently in use. Chitosan has a great potential for a wide range of applications due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, antimicrobial activity, non-toxicity and versatile chemical and physical properties. Thus, chitosan based films have proven to be very effective in food preservation. The presence of amino group in C2 position of chitosan provides major functionality towards biotechnological needs, particularly, in food applications. Chitosan based polymeric materials can be formed into fibers, films, gels, sponges, beads or even nanoparticles. Chitosan films have shown potential to be used as a packaging material for the quality preservation of a variety of food. Besides, chitosan has widely been used in antimicrobial films to provide edible protective coating, in dipping and spraying for the food products due to its antimicrobial properties. Chitosan has exhibited high antimicrobial activity against a wide variety of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, including fungi, and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The present review aims to highlight various preparative methods and antimicrobial activity including the mechanism of the antimicrobial action of chitosan based films. The optimisation of the biocidic properties of these so called biocomposites films and role of biocatalysts in improvement of quality and shelf life of foods has been discussed.     

壳聚糖复合膜在果蔬保鲜中的应用

壳聚糖具有良好的生物相容性、可生物降解性、安全性、成膜性、抗菌性等,常用于果蔬保鲜。但由于机械性能和生物活性不足,为了增强其理化性能和生物活性,常添加生物聚合物、抗菌剂、抗氧化剂等功能成分以提高膜综合性能。综述了壳聚糖膜和壳聚糖/多糖、壳聚糖/蛋白质、壳聚糖/脂质、壳聚糖/抗菌剂、壳聚糖/抗氧化剂等壳聚糖基复合膜在果蔬保鲜中的应用进展,从壳聚糖的诱导活性、成膜特性和抗菌活性三个方面总结了壳聚糖膜的保鲜机理,分析了壳聚糖基复合膜目前在果蔬保鲜实际应用中存在的问题,并对未来发展方向进行了展望,以期为开发安全、高效、绿色、经济的壳聚糖基果蔬保鲜膜提供一定的理论指导。     

Characterization of antimicrobial properties on the growth of S. aureus of novel renewable blends of gliadins and chitosan of interest in food packaging and coating applications

The biocide properties of chitosan-based materials have been known for many years. However, typical antimicrobial formulations of chitosan, mostly chitosonium salts, are known to be very water sensitive materials which may impair their use in many application fields such as food packaging or food coating applications. This first work reports on the development and characterization of the antimicrobial properties of novel fully renewable blends of chitosan with more water-resistant gliadin proteins isolated from wheat gluten. Chitosan release to the nutrient broth from a wide range of blends was studied making use of the ninhydrin method. The results indicated that both pure chitosan and its blends with gliadins presented significant antimicrobial activity, which increased with increasing the amount of chitosan in the composite formulation as expected. The gliadins-chitosan blends showed good transparency and film-forming properties and better water resistance than pure chitosan. The release tests revealed that dissolution of the biocide glucosamine groups, i.e. the chitosan water soluble fractions, also increased with the amount of chitosan present in the formulation. The release of these groups was for the first time directly correlated with the antimicrobial properties exhibited by the blends. Thus, incorporation of chitosan into an insoluble biopolymer matrix was revealed as a very feasible strategy to generate novel chitosan-based antimicrobial materials with potential advantages, for instance active food packaging applications.     

Development and evaluation of a novel biodegradable film made from chitosan and cinnamon essential oil with low affinity toward water

Combining antimicrobial agents such as plant essential oils directly into a food packaging is a form of active packaging. In this work chitosan-based films containing cinnamon essential oil (CEO) at level of 0.4%, .0.8%, and 1.5% and 2% (v/v) were prepared to examine their antibacterial, physical and mechanical properties. Scanning electron microscopy was carried out to explain structure–property relationships. Incorporating CEO into chitosan-based films increased antimicrobial activity. CEO decreased moisture content, solubility in water, water vapour permeability and elongation at break of chitosan films. It is postulated that the unique properties of the CEO added films could suggest the cross-linking effect of CEO components within the chitosan matrix. Electron microscopy images confirmed the results obtained in this study.     

Characterization and antimicrobial analysis of chitosan-based films

Chitosan-based films for food packaging applications were prepared by casting and dried at room temperature or heat-treated in order to study functional properties and antimicrobial activity. In all cases, films were flexible and transparent, regardless of chitosan molecular weight, glycerol content, and temperature. Regarding antimicrobial activity, chitosan film forming solutions showed antimicrobial behaviour against Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus plantarum. It was also observed that the bacteriostatic property of chitosan-based films against bacteria employed in this study was notably affected by temperature. Moreover, temperature produced significant variation in the functional properties of chitosan-based films, such as colour, wettability, resistance against UV light and mechanical properties. In good agreement with this behaviour, total soluble matter (TSM), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results suggested a change in the chemical structure of chitosan films, possibly due to Maillard reaction when heat treatment was used.     

Chitosan-based biodegradable functional films for food packaging applications

Chitin is the structural material of crustaceans, insects, and fungi, and is the second most abundant biopolymer after cellulose on earth. Chitosan, a deacetylated derivative of chitin, can be obtained by deacetylation of chitin. It is a functionally versatile biopolymer due to the presence of amino groups responsible for the various properties of the polymer. Although it has been used for various industrial applications, the recent one is its use as a biodegradable antimicrobial food packaging material. Much research has been focused on chitosan-based flexible food packaging and edible food coatings to compete with conventional non-biodegradable plastic-based food packaging materials. Various strategies have been used to improve the properties of chitosan - using plasticizers and cross-linkers, embedding the polymer with fillers such as nanoparticles, fibers, and whiskers, and blending the polymer with natural extracts and essential oils and also with other natural and synthetic polymers. However, much research is still needed to bring this biopolymer to industrial levels for the food packaging applications.Industrial relevanceAs a major by-product of the seafood industry, a massive amount of crustacean shell waste is generated each year, which can be used to produce value-added chitin, which can be converted to chitosan using a relatively simple deacetylation process. Being extracted from a bio-waste product using many energy-efficient methods, chitosan is much cheaper as compared to other biopolymers. Nevertheless, the exceptional properties of chitosan make it a relatively stronger candidate for food packaging applications. Chitosan has already been used in various industries, such as biomedical, agriculture, water treatment, cosmetics, textile, photography, chromatography, electronics, paper industry, and food industry. This review article compiles all the essential literature up to the latest developments of chitosan as a potential food packaging material and the outcomes of its practical utilization for this purpose.     

壳聚糖对果蔬的抗菌保鲜效果及其应用研究进展

由于采后旺盛的生理代谢, 新鲜水果和蔬菜会出现品质劣变, 采取有效的抗菌保鲜策略是果蔬采后贮藏过程亟待解决的问题。天然大分子壳聚糖作为果蔬的活性包装材料具有来源广泛、安全和可生物降解等优点。本文综述了近年来壳聚糖基涂层/膜用于果蔬保鲜包装的抗菌保鲜效果及其对果蔬品质的影响, 首先介绍了壳聚糖的来源及应用特点以及制备壳聚糖薄膜材料的常用方法, 然后综述了壳聚糖及其与其他生物活性材料复合使用在果蔬保鲜中的应用, 并总结了使用壳聚糖基涂层/膜保鲜对果蔬外观品质、营养品质、挥发性香气物质等方面的影响; 最后, 对壳聚糖在果蔬抑菌保鲜机制方面的研究进行归纳介绍, 以期为其未来发展和应用提供新的思路。     

Highly stable, edible cellulose films incorporating chitosan nanoparticles

The need for biodegradable polymers for packaging has fostered the development of novel, biodegradable polymeric materials from natural sources, as an alternative to reduce amount of waste and environmental impacts. The present investigation involves the synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles-carboxymethylcellulose films, in view of their increasing areas of application in packaging industry. The entire process consists of 2-steps including chitosan nanoparticles preparation and their incorporation in carboxymethylcellulose films. Uniform and stable particles were obtained with 3 different chitosan concentrations. The morphology of chitosan nanoparticles was tested by transmission electron microscopy, revealing the nanoparticles size in the range of 80 to 110 nm. The developed film chitosan nanoparticles-carboxymethylcellulose films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis, solubility tests, and mechanical analysis. Improvement of thermal and mechanical properties were observed in films containing nanoparticles, with the best results occurring upon addition of nanoparticles with 110 nm size in carboxymethylcellulose films. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Carboxymethylcellulose films containing chitosan nanoparticles synthesized and characterized in this article could be a potential material for food and beverage packaging applications products due to the increase mechanical properties and high stability. The potential application of the nanocomposites prepared would be in packaging industry to extend the shelf life of products.     

Chitosan Polymer as Bioactive Coating and Film against Aspergillus niger Contamination

ABSTRACT: The inhibitory activity of chitosan-based edible coatings and films was assessed against the Aspergillus niger food pathogen and deterioration microorganism. Spore-counting assays showed an almost total inhibition of A. niger growth when either film-forming solution or film were used at a low concentration of chitosan (0.1% w/v). Epifluorescence microscopic results showed the action of chitosan on the relative proportion of RNA compared with DNA. The water vapor permeability (WVP) of chitosan film was relatively low compared with the poor moisture barrier of some polysaccharide films. Moreover, a coating with chitosan film on an agar gel, used as a food model, induced a 30% reduction in water loss. These results showed potential applications of chitosan-based films as bioactive packaging with properties to limit the food dehydration phenomenon.     

Active food packaging technologies

Active packaging technologies offer new opportunities for the food industry, in the preservation of foods. Important active packaging systems currently known to date, including oxygen scavengers, carbon dioxide emitters/absorbers, moisture absorbers, ethylene absorbers, ethanol emitters, flavor releasing/absorbing systems, time-temperature indicators, and antimicrobial containing films, are reviewed. The principle of operation of each active system is briefly explained. Recent technological advances in active packaging are discussed, and food related applications are presented. The effects of active packaging systems on food quality and safety are cited.     

Antimicrobial nanoparticles and biodegradable polymer composites for active food packaging applications

The food industry faces numerous challenges to assure provision of tasty and convenient food that possesses extended shelf life and shows long-term high-quality preservation. Research and development of antimicrobial materials for food applications have provided active antibacterial packaging technologies that are able to meet these challenges. Furthermore, consumers expect and demand sustainable packaging materials that would reduce environmental problems associated with plastic waste. In this review, we discuss antimicrobial composite materials for active food packaging applications that combine highly efficient antibacterial nanoparticles (i.e., metal, metal oxide, mesoporous silica and graphene-based nanomaterials) with biodegradable and environmentally friendly green polymers (i.e., gelatin, alginate, cellulose, and chitosan) obtained from plants, bacteria, and animals. In addition, innovative syntheses and processing techniques used to obtain active and safe packaging are showcased. Implementation of such green active packaging can significantly reduce the risk of foodborne pathogen outbreaks, improve food safety and quality, and minimize product losses, while reducing waste and maintaining sustainability.     

Active packaging films and edible coatings based on polyphenol-rich propolis extract: A review

The development of active packaging films and edible coatings based on biopolymers and natural bioactive substances has received increasing attention in recent years. Propolis, also called bee glue, is a natural resin substance collected by worker-bees from the mucilage, gum, and resin of several plants. In food industry, propolis is commonly extracted in solvents to afford polyphenol-rich extract with potent antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The prepared propolis extract can be mixed with biopolymers, plasticizers, emulsifiers, and reinforcing agents to develop active packaging films and edible coatings. The functionality of active packaging films and edible coatings is closely related to the type, harvesting method, geographic origin, extraction method and extraction conditions of propolis, the content and composition of polyphenolic compounds in the extract, and the presence of other bioactive substances. Active packaging films and edible coatings based on propolis extract can impact the physical, biochemical, and sensory properties of food (e.g., fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish) during storage. This review focuses on the recent advances of active packaging films and edible coatings based on polyphenol-rich propolis extract. The impact of polyphenol-rich propolis extract on the structural characterization, functionality, and potential food applications of the films and edible coatings is summarized.     

Recent advances in biobased and biodegradable polymer nanocomposites,nanoparticles, and natural antioxidants for antibacterial and antioxidant food packaging applications

Inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) and natural antioxidant compounds are an emerging trend in the food industry. Incorporating these substances in biobased and biodegradable matrices as polysaccharides (e.g., starch, cellulose, and chitosan) and proteins has highlighted the potential in active food packaging applications due to more significant antimicrobial, antioxidant, UV blocking, oxygen scavenging, water vapor permeability effects, and low environmental impact. In recent years, the migration of metal NPs and metal oxides in food contact packaging and their toxicological potential have raised concerns about the safety of the nanomaterials. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the main biobased and biodegradable polymer nanocomposites, inorganic NPs, natural antioxidants, and their potential use in active food packaging. The intrinsic properties of NPs and natural antioxidant actives in packaging materials are evaluated to extend shelf-life, safety, and food quality. Toxicological and safety aspects of inorganic NPs are highlighted to understand the current controversy on applying some nanomaterials in food packaging. The synergism of inorganic NPs and plant-derived natural antioxidant actives (e.g., vitamins, polyphenols, and carotenoids) and essential oils (EOs) potentiated the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of biodegradable nanocomposite films. Biodegradable packaging films based on green NPs—this is biosynthesized from plant extracts–showed suitable mechanical and barrier properties and had a lower environmental impact and offered efficient food protection. Furthermore, AgNPs and TiO₂ NPs released metal ions from packaging into contents insufficiently to cause harm to human cells, which could be helpful to understanding critical gaps and provide progress in the packaging field.     

活性包装薄膜的功能特性表征及对食品保鲜作用的研究进展

本文综述了活性包装薄膜的功能特性表征与对食品保鲜作用的研究进展,归纳总结了薄膜抗菌和抗氧化功能的表征方法,并从这两个方面介绍了薄膜对食品的保鲜作用,旨在为今后的研究提供参考。活性包装薄膜抗菌功能的表征方法主要有抑菌圈法、抑菌率法、微生物生长曲线法和包装食品直接测定法等,抗氧化功能的表征方法主要有自由基清除法、铁离子还原/抗氧化能力法和包装食品直接测定法等。薄膜对食品的保鲜作用主要体现在薄膜对所包装食品中微生物生长的抑制,对脂类、蛋白质氧化进程的减缓以及食品货架期的延长。     

肉桂醛在食品活性包装中的抗菌应用研究进展

肉桂醛作为一种典型的天然植物精油活性成分,是广谱高效、安全无毒的食品防腐剂,通过固定在食品活性包装中可以改善其易挥发性和刺激气味,在提高抗菌效率的同时减少对食物感官的影响。近年来肉桂醛作为活性包装抗菌剂的研究呈显著增加趋势,在食品保鲜领域极具发展前景,然而尚缺乏文献对其研究应用现状进行系统总结分析。本文从天然载体、人工构建载体以及递送载体的修饰等方面探讨了肉桂醛与活性包装结合方式的最新研究进展,总结了肉桂醛抗菌包装对果蔬、肉制品、乳制品及淀粉食品的保鲜效果,最后分析了目前肉桂醛包装研究现状和未来发展方向。本综述为天然防腐剂肉桂醛在食品活性包装中的研发、应用与推广提供了科学参考,为提高生鲜食品贮运品质提供了新的研究思路。     

壳聚糖/植物精油可食性抗菌膜研究进展

壳聚糖包埋植物精油制备的可食性抗菌膜具有原料来源广泛、可食、可降解,抗菌效果强等优势,在食品保鲜领域显示了重要的应用价值。本文综述了壳聚糖和精油各自的结构、性质、壳聚糖/精油复合膜及添加了其它天然高分子如蛋白质、淀粉等的复合可食性抗菌膜的研究进展,同时指出了目前该研究领域中存在的问题,并对未来的研究方向进行了展望,为壳聚糖/植物精油复合可食性抗菌膜研究的进一步开发利用提供参考。     

Optimization of the biocide properties of chitosan for its application in the design of active films of interest in the food area

The influence on biocide performance of some unprecedented physicochemical features of chitosan cast films such as film thickness, pH of the nutrient broth, film neutralization, film autoclave sterilization and temperature exposure were analyzed against Staphylococcus aureus and in some experiments also against Salmonella spp. The work demonstrates for the first time the influence of the release or positive migration of protonated glucosamine fractions from the biopolymer into the microbial culture as the responsible event for the antimicrobial performance of the biopolymer under the studied conditions. From the results, a reliable and reproducible method for the determination of the bactericidal activity of chitosan-based films was developed in an attempt to standardize the testing conditions for the optimum design of active antimicrobial food packaging films and coating applications.     

Applications of chitosan for improvement of quality and shelf life of foods: a review

ABSTRACT:  Chitosan is a modified, natural biopolymer derived by deacetylation of chitin, a major component of the shells of crustacean. Recently, chitosan has received increased attention for its commercial applications in the biomedical, food, and chemical industries. Use of chitosan in food industry is readily seen due to its several distinctive biological activities and functional properties. The antimicrobial activity and film-forming property of chitosan make it a potential source of food preservative or coating material of natural origin. This review focuses on the applications of chitosan for improvement of quality and shelf life of various foods from agriculture, poultry, and seafood origin.     

Natural biopolymer-based nanocomposite films for packaging applications

Concerns on environmental waste problems caused by non-biodegradable petrochemical-based plastic packaging materials as well as the consumer's demand for high quality food products has caused an increasing interest in developing biodegradable packaging materials using annually renewable natural biopolymers such as polysaccharides and proteins. Inherent shortcomings of natural polymer-based packaging materials such as low mechanical properties and low water resistance can be recovered by applying a nanocomposite technology. Polymer nanocomposites, especially natural biopolymer-layered silicate nanocomposites, exhibit markedly improved packaging properties due to their nanometer size dispersion. These improvements include increased modulus and strength, decreased gas permeability, and increased water resistance. Additionally, biologically active ingredients can be added to impart the desired functional properties to the resulting packaging materials. Consequently, natural biopolymer-based nanocomposite packaging materials with bio-functional properties have a huge potential for application in the active food packaging industry. In this review, recent advances in the preparation of natural biopolymer-based films and their nanocomposites, and their potential use in packaging applications are addressed.     

Postharvest Quality of Fresh-Cut Carrots Packaged in Plastic Films Containing Silver Nanoparticles

Active food packaging containing antimicrobial additive goes beyond traditional functions of packaging, once it can extend food shelf life maintaining its quality, safety and reducing postharvest losses by controlling food spoilage. Among several antimicrobial additives employed in polymeric films for packaging, metallic nanoparticles outstand due to its facility for synthesis, low-cost of production, and intense antimicrobial properties. In this work, extruded plain films of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) embedded in SiO₂ and TiO₂ carriers (namely MS and MT, respectively) were produced and used as active packaging for maintaining the physicochemical and microbiological quality of carrots (Daucus Carota L. cv. Brasília). The neat (LDPE) and composite films containing MS and MT were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and permeability to oxygen and used for packaging fresh-cut sliced carrots stored at 10 °C for 10 days. After the storage time, the physicochemical properties of carrots were characterized, while the antimicrobial properties of films and AgNP migration were investigated. Our results revealed that both MT and MS packages showed antimicrobial activity even for films containing low concentration of AgNP. In addition, AgNP antimicrobial activity demonstrated to be carrier-dependent, once MT-LDPE showed improved performance compared to MS-LDPE. Regarding the physicochemical properties of packaged carrot, lower soluble solids and weight loss and higher levels of ascorbic acid were observed for carrots packaged with MT-LDPE films (compared to MS-LDPE), leading to a better postharvest quality conservation. Such differences observed in physicochemical properties of carrots are related to the distinct antimicrobial and film permeability properties for each composite film. In addition, under the conditions employed in this study, AgNP migration from the packages to fresh-cut carrot was not observed, which is highly desirable for food packaging safety, indicating the potential of such active packages for food preservation application.