The role of packaging is crucial in the modern food industry, since it contributes to contain, transport, and preserve the food quality and safety [1]. Recently, polysaccharides-based hydrogels have caught the attention of food packaging producers, as they are natural biodegradable and biocompatible polymers, usable as delivery systems of health-beneficial antioxidant and antimicrobial substances, able to extend the shelf-life of fresh products [2, 3]. The expectations of this work are focused on the synthesis and an in-depth characterization of hydrogels from modified starch, for intelligent food packaging applications. Agrifood wastes were used as feedstock of starch thus reducing the impact of wastes on the environment and meeting the increasing demand for ecofriendly products [4]. After chemical modification of starch, by oxidation reaction with sodium periodate (NaIO4) in water, aldehyde derivatives of great interest were produced that can be further modified into carboxylic acid, primary alcohol, or imines (Schiff-bases). Simultaneously, they open the scenario on the creation of physical and chemical crosslinking, without using crosslinking agents, by applying a more sustainable approach for the low toxicity of reagents and byproducts [5, 6]. After modification, starch-based hydrogels showed enhanced resistance to dissolution degradation rate, high swellability, and improved mechanical strength. Successively, the synthesized hydrogels were "loaded" with selected molecules, and the antibacterial activity was measured against Escherichia coli ATCC 8739. Two approaches were followed for testing the capability of these materials to act as drug carriers: i) by adsorption of peppermint essential oil; ii) by crosslinking the Asparagine to the starchy aldehyde derivatives (via Schiff-base). A drug release profile was proven by means of qNMR spectroscopy [7]. Based on these results, the produced starch-based hydrogels are potentially suitable materials for producing bio-sustainable adsorbent pads with a high capacity for holding liquids from fresh foods, able to preserve and extend the shelf-life of packaged foods, by inhibiting bacterial growth.
Intelligent starch-based hydrogels for active and safe food packaging applications
Alfio Pulvirenti;Antonella Caterina Boccia;Tiziana Silvetti;Milena Brasca
2022
Abstract
The role of packaging is crucial in the modern food industry, since it contributes to contain, transport, and preserve the food quality and safety [1]. Recently, polysaccharides-based hydrogels have caught the attention of food packaging producers, as they are natural biodegradable and biocompatible polymers, usable as delivery systems of health-beneficial antioxidant and antimicrobial substances, able to extend the shelf-life of fresh products [2, 3]. The expectations of this work are focused on the synthesis and an in-depth characterization of hydrogels from modified starch, for intelligent food packaging applications. Agrifood wastes were used as feedstock of starch thus reducing the impact of wastes on the environment and meeting the increasing demand for ecofriendly products [4]. After chemical modification of starch, by oxidation reaction with sodium periodate (NaIO4) in water, aldehyde derivatives of great interest were produced that can be further modified into carboxylic acid, primary alcohol, or imines (Schiff-bases). Simultaneously, they open the scenario on the creation of physical and chemical crosslinking, without using crosslinking agents, by applying a more sustainable approach for the low toxicity of reagents and byproducts [5, 6]. After modification, starch-based hydrogels showed enhanced resistance to dissolution degradation rate, high swellability, and improved mechanical strength. Successively, the synthesized hydrogels were "loaded" with selected molecules, and the antibacterial activity was measured against Escherichia coli ATCC 8739. Two approaches were followed for testing the capability of these materials to act as drug carriers: i) by adsorption of peppermint essential oil; ii) by crosslinking the Asparagine to the starchy aldehyde derivatives (via Schiff-base). A drug release profile was proven by means of qNMR spectroscopy [7]. Based on these results, the produced starch-based hydrogels are potentially suitable materials for producing bio-sustainable adsorbent pads with a high capacity for holding liquids from fresh foods, able to preserve and extend the shelf-life of packaged foods, by inhibiting bacterial growth.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
