‘Gouda cheese’ is one of the most popular varieties of cheese eaten worldwide. The preservation problem of gouda arises due to microbial contamination and infestation. Therefore, essential oil (EO) based PVP-CMC-BC-GG hydrogel film was prepared to solve the problem and to extend the shelf-life of ‘Gouda cheese’. Anthocyanin (isolated from red cabbage) based pH stickers are integrated into the packaging system to recognize the spoilage of ‘cheese’. EOs (clove and/or cinnamon) are added to PVP-CMC-BC-GG hydrogel film to improve its antimicrobial, physical, mechanical, and thermal properties as well as shelf-life of cheese. The films are assessed based on their physical, structural, and functional properties, real-time assessment on cheese, and biodegradability. The results revealed that although the addition of oils to the PVP-CMC-BC-GG hydrogel films enhanced its mechanical, hydrophobic, and antimicrobial properties, the biodegradability of PVP-CMC-BC-GG films declined with the addition of EOs. The thermal properties remained the same irrespective of the addition of EOs. The shelf life of cheese was extended for more than 10–12 days, inside the PVP-CMC-BC-GG hydrogel sachet compared to the conventional PE packaging system. Hence the use of the PVP-CMC-BC-GG sachet (containing EO or without EO) is recommended for cheese packaging along with the use of PVP-CMC-BC-GG anthocyanin bio stickers for monitoring the quality of cheese.

In this study we report the preparation of novel multicomponent hydrogels as potential biomaterials for injectable hydrogels comprised of alginate, casein and bacterial cellulose impregnated with iron nanoparticles (BCF). These hydrogels demonstrated amide cross-linking of alginate–casein, ionic cross-linking of alginate and supramolecular interaction due to incorporation of BCF. Incorporation of BCF into the hydrogels based on natural biopolymers was done to reinforce the hydrogels and impart magnetic properties critical for targeted drug delivery. This study aimed to improve overall properties of alginate/casein hydrogels by varying the BCF loading. The physico-chemical properties of gels were characterized via FTIR, XRD, DSC, TGA, VSM and mechanical compression. In addition, swelling, drug release, antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity studies were also conducted on these hydrogels. The results indicated that incorporation of BCF in alginate/casein hydrogels led to mechanically stronger gels with magnetic properties, increased porosity and hence increased swelling. A porous structure, which is essential for migration of cells and biomolecule transportation, was confirmed from microscopic analysis. The porous internal structure promoted cell viability, which was confirmed through MTT assay of fibroblasts. Moreover, a hydrogel can be useful for the delivery of essential drugs or biomolecules in a sustained manner for longer durations. These hydrogels are porous, cell viable and possess mechanical properties that match closely to the native tissue. Collectively, these hybrid alginate–casein hydrogels laden with BCF can be fabricated by a facile approach for potential wound healing applications.

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Bioreduction of silver ions following one pot process is described to achieveRheum rhabarbarum(RR) based silver nanoparticles (SNPs) which is termed as “RR-SNPs.” The Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis) confirms the characteristic surface plasmon resonance band for RR-SNPs in the range of 420–460 nm. The crystalline nature of SNPs was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks at 38.2°, 45.6°, 64.2°, and 76.8°. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) confirm the shape of synthesized SNPs. They are roughly spherical but uniformly distributed, and size varies from 60 to 80 nm. These biogenic SNPs show persistent zeta potential value of 34.8 mV even after 120 days and exhibit potent antibacterial activity in presence ofEscherichia coli(CCM 4517) andStaphylococcus aureus(CCM 4516). In addition, cytotoxicity of RR-SNPs againstin vitrohuman epithelial carcinoma (HeLa) cell line showed a dose-response activity. The lethal concentration (LC50) value was found to be 28.5 μg/mL for RR-SNPs in the presence of HeLa cells. These findings help us to evaluate their appropriate applications in the field of nanotechnology and nanomedicine.

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This study focuses on the production of kombucha-derived bacterial cellulose (KBC) from different modified kombucha and diverse bio-waste sources using Komagataeibacter xylinus for high potential towards cost-effective industrial scalability. The various nutrient media for the biosynthesis of KBC were formulated with sour whey, apple juice, and brewer's spent grains. Among the investigated nutrient sources, whey and whey/apple juice/brewer's spent grains mixture media showed superiority in the production of KBC with final yield dry weight determined as 12.59 and 12.81 g/L, respectively. The obtained KBC membranes were characterized by FTIR, TGA, SEM, and XRD analysis and results showed no significant difference in chemical structure, morphology, and thermal stability. The obtained KBC membranes were then further applied in fabrication of bio-based composites as prospective leather substitutes. The prepared bio-based composites showed good shape stability and considerable flexibility with an average tensile strenght and elastic modulus of ~ 1.69 Mpa and ~ 100 MPa, respectively. It can be inferred from the results in the present study that KBC can be used as a leather substitute in bio-textile fabrication.

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