Development of biodegradable films using sunflower protein isolates and bacterial nanocellulose as innovative food packaging materials for fresh fruit preservation

Abstract

This study presents the valorization of side streams from the sunflower-based biodiesel industry for the production of bio-based and biodegradable food packaging following circular economy principles. Bacterial cellulose (BC) was produced via fermentation in 6 L static tray bioreactors using nutrient-rich supplements derived from the enzymatic hydrolysis of sunflower meal (SFM) combined with crude glycerol as carbon source. Novel biofilms were produced using either matrices of protein isolates extracted from sunflower meal (SFMPI) alone or SFMPI matrices reinforced with nanocellulose biofillers of commercial or bacterial origin. Acid hydrolysis was employed for ex-situ modification of BC to nanostructures (56 nm). The biofilms reinforced with bacterial nanocellulose structures (SFMPI-BNC) showed 64.5% higher tensile strength, 75.5% higher Young’s modulus, 131.5% higher elongation at break, 32.5% lower water solubility and 14.1% lower water vapor permeability than the biofilms produced only with SFMPI. The biofilms were evaluated on fresh strawberries packaging showing that the SFMPI-BNC-based films lead to effective preservation at 10 °C considering microbial growth and physicochemical profile (weight loss, chemical characterization, color, firmness and respiration activity). The SFMPI-BNC-based films could be applied in fresh fruit packaging applications.

Influence of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Cold Plasma Treatment on Starch, Gelatin, and Bacterial Cellulose Biodegradable Polymeric Films

“…The tensile strength and elongation at break of bacterial cellulose and its composites reported in the literature have a broad range of values (from 1 to 70 MPa for the tensile strength and from 7% to 80% for the elongation at break), which are affected by the formation methodology of the film and other parameters. The methods used herein produced a film with high tensile strength and low elongation at break, while the methods used by Efthymiou et al [ 45 ] and Papadaki et al [ 46 ] produced a film with low tensile strength and high elongation at break. Plasma treatment increased both tensile strength and elongation at break, as occurred with the chemical treatment to convert bacterial cellulose to nanocrystalline cellulose.…”

Effect of Quorum Sensing Molecules on the Quality of Bacterial Nanocellulose Materials

“…For the analysis of the physical and chemical characteristics of BNC films, various techniques and machines such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), TEM, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), HPLC, DLS, tensile test machine, thickness test machine, XRD, XRF, and TGA are employed. To examine the surface morphology of the films, SEM, TEM, and AFM machines are primarily used. ,− In this research, SEM (JSM 7100F, Jeol. co) and AFM (NT-MDT co.) machines are utilized to characterize the surface morphology properties of the bacterial cellulose films produced for control, DHL, DDHL, and ODDHL samples.…”

Nanocellulosics in Transient Technology

“…137 The BNC as a reinforcing filler improved the mechanical characteristics (for example, 131.5% higher elongation at break, more than 75% increase in Young's Modulus and over 60% improvement in tensile strength), in addition to good water retention and creating an atmosphere unsuitable for bacterial activity when used to package fresh strawberries, the fruits retained their initial freshness and vibrancy after long-term storage. 137 A portable, cheap, efficient, easily disposable, and environmentally benign device employing nanocellulosic material (cellulose nanofibrils, CNFs) for the point-of-care device has been reported. 138 This paper-based microfluidic biosensor is derived from the principle whereby selected areas of paper are imparted with hydrophobic characteristics and leaving the other areas as hydrophilic channels for the transfer of fluids.…”

“…In conclusion, the efficiency of the composite packaging to retard meat’s spoilage under refrigerated conditions in real-life demonstrations, offers an overall ecological impact . Elsewhere, based on the circular-economy pursuit, using isolated sunflower proteins and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), biodegradable packaging films for fresh fruit preservation were produced . The BNC as a reinforcing filler improved the mechanical characteristics (for example, 131.5% higher elongation at break, more than 75% increase in Young’s Modulus and over 60% improvement in tensile strength), in addition to good water retention and creating an atmosphere unsuitable for bacterial activity when used to package fresh strawberries, the fruits retained their initial freshness and vibrancy after long-term storage …”