Chitosan Films Obtained from Brachystola magna (Girard) and Its Evaluation on Quality Attributes in Sausages during Storage

Abstract

High molecular weight chitosan (≈322 kDa) was obtained from chitin isolated from Brachystola magna (Girard) to produced biodegradable films. Their physicochemical, mechanical and water vapor permeability (WVP) properties were compared against commercial chitosan films with different molecular weights. Brachystola magna chitosan films (CFBM) exhibited similar physicochemical and mechanical characteristics to those of commercial chitosans. The CFBM films presented lower WVP values (10.01 × 10−11 g/m s Pa) than commercial chitosans films (from 16.06 × 10−11 to 64.30 × 10−11 g/m s Pa). Frankfurt-type sausages were covered with chitosan films and stored in refrigerated conditions (4 °C). Their quality attributes (color, weight loss, pH, moisture, texture and lipid oxidation) were evaluated at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 days. Sausages covered with CFMB films presented the lowest weight loss (from 1.24 to 2.38%). A higher increase in hardness (from 22.32 to 30.63 N) was observed in sausages covered with CFMB films. Compared with other films and the control (uncovered sausages), CFMB films delay pH reduction. Moreover, this film presents the lower lipid oxidation level (0.10 malonaldehyde mg/sample kg). Thus, chitosan of B. magna could be a good alternative as packaging material for meat products with high-fat content.

Development of Chitosan Films from Edible Crickets and Their Performance as a Bio-Based Food Packaging Material

“…The first study, chitosan films from mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) (812 kDa) and grasshoppers (Brachystola magna) (696 kDa) were found to have statistically similar TS and E%, when compared to the study's low (759 kDa) and medium (870 kDa) molecular weight reference chitosan films [31]. In another study, grasshopper (B. magna) chitosan (322 kDa) films were compared to high, medium, and low molecular weight crustacean chitosan films [41]. They showed that grasshopper films had significantly lower TS values than high and medium molecular weight commercial chitosan, but films were statistically similar to low molecular weight crustacean chitosan.…”

“…Little research is available on the water vapor permeability on insect chitosan films, making it difficult to understand the molecular differences responsible for the decreased film WVP. In one study, the WVP of glycerol-chitosan films from grasshoppers was evaluated and compared to low, medium, and high molecular weight commercial chitosan [41]. The authors reported grasshopper chitosan films had the lowest WVP (1 × 10 −10 g/m•s•Pa) compared to all shrimp chitosan films (1.6 to 6.43 × 10 −10 g/m•s•Pa).…”