Alternatives to increase fruit shelf life without the addition of synthetic preservatives, such as the use of edible coatings incorporated with bioactive compounds, should be explored. This study evaluated the effects of edible coating with fish protein hydrolysate on the quality and shelf life of cherry tomatoes. The cherry tomatoes were divided into four treatments: Control; coated with glycerol (5%; w/v); coated with glycerol (5%; w/v) and added with protein hydrolysate (1%; w/v) and coated with glycerol (5%; w/v) and added with protein hydrolysate (2%; w/v). The coated or uncoated cherry tomatoes were evaluated at 0, 7, 14, 21, and 45 days of chilled or room temperature storage for color, weight loss, firmness, soluble solids, pH, and molds and yeasts. The microbiological data suggested the edible coating with protein hydrolysate has bioactivity because inhibited the proliferation of molds and yeasts. However, in the other analyses showed no superior shelf life compared to the control. Practical applications The edible coating containing natural bioactive compounds can be used as an alternative to synthetic preservatives.
Bioactive compounds derived from food or plants have become a natural source with the potential for producing functional, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical foods due to their biological functions and beneficial health effects. However, to perform such physiological processes, these compounds need to be absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. Among the existing technologies, nanoencapsulation increases physical stability, protection, and the contact surface, facilitating the solubility and bioavailability of such compounds. In this type of encapsulation, lipid nanocarriers are promising carriers due to their lipid structure and containing hydrophilic surfactant, capable of facilitating the intestinal absorption of active compounds. However, in food or drugs, one of the significant challenges for applying bioactive compounds on a nanoscale is the lack of in vivo studies that establish safety limits for cytotoxicity. This review covered recent studies on the encapsulation of natural bioactive compounds in different types of lipid nanocarriers. In addition to methods for obtaining and characterizing nanocarriers, bioactivities with beneficial potential for human health, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, and neuroprotective, are mentioned. The manuscript deals with the bioaccessibility of active compounds, new perspectives, and challenges for applying lipid nanocarriers.
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