No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

The effect of TiO2 on structural properties of gelatin films, obtained by solution casting method, was investigated. The results showed that TiO2 incorporation improved the UV barrier efficacy and increased the films opacity. The formation of new interactions between gelatin matrix and TiO2 particles were confirmed by FTIR analysis. A decrease in elongation at break was observed for gelatin-based film when TiO2 content increased, whereas the tensile strength increased. The microstructure analysis revealed heterogeneous structure due to the presence of a small aggregate with increasing the TiO2 ratio. The addition of TiO2 increased the contact angles, which could be related to the hydrophobic nature of the TiO2 incorporated films proved by the low swelling capacity of these films. In addition, incorporation of TiO2 particles into gelatin matrix improved barrier properties of gelatin films making it able to be used in water-soluble food or pharmaceutical packaging as a UV protective.

The carob tree has several advantages for all its components, especially for its fruits (carob pods). Several scientific studies have shown that the carob fruit is rich in nutrients and phytochemicals, which explains its use as a raw material for the manufacturing of various products, including carob syrup. Some studies have been carried out on the physicochemical characteristics of this product, but to our knowledge, there are no scientific studies yet regarding its functional properties and its potential use in the food industry. So, this work clearly shows that carob syrup has interesting functional properties. It exhibits an emulsifying capacity (~ 80-87%) comparable to that of soy lecithin (~ 100%), an emulsifier widely used in food formulations. This result reveals that carob syrup can be used as a natural food emulsifier for the formation and stability of emulsions.