Multifunctional Bio‐Nanocomposite Coatings for Perishable Fruits

Abstract

Hunger and chronic undernourishment impact over 800 million people, which translates to ≈10.7% of the world's population. While countries are increasingly making efforts to reduce poverty and hunger by pursuing sustainable energy and agricultural practices, a third of the food produced around the globe still is wasted and never consumed. Reducing food shortages is vital in this effort and is often addressed by the development of genetically modified produce or chemical additives and inedible coatings, which create additional health and environmental concerns. Herein, a multifunctional bio‐nanocomposite comprised largely of egg‐derived polymers and cellulose nanomaterials as a conformal coating onto fresh produce that slows down food decay by retarding ripening, dehydration, and microbial invasion is reported. The coating is edible, washable, and made from readily available inexpensive or waste materials, which makes it a promising economic alternative to commercially available fruit coatings and a solution to combat food wastage that is rampant in the world.

A Naturally Derived Nanocomposite Film with Photodynamic Antibacterial Activity: New Prospect for Sustainable Food Packaging

“…Benefiting from the hydrogen bonding force between carrageenan and CMC−Na (as displayed by FTIR), the amount of available −OH groups is reduced, thus the CC film and CC/BB films are more hydrophobic than the pure carrageenan film (63.8°), 47 CMC film (62.15°), 28 and many reported biopolymer films (e.g., poly(albumen): 71.4°; polylactic acid: 88.6°; gelatin: 57.2°). 41,48,49 The WVP of films were further measured to understand their ability to block water (Figure 5d). The CC film has a WVP of ∼7.92 × 10 −11 g•m•m −2 •Pa −1 •s −1 , and the WVP of CC/BB films decreased slightly (p > 0.05).…”

Waste of Fresh Fruits in Yaoundé, Cameroon: Challenges for Retailers and Impacts on Consumer Health

“…When coated onto bananas, avocadoes, papayas, and strawberries, the shelf-life was extended by a week, with reduced external browning and internal ripening. The coatings are safe to ingest but are also easily removed through washing [38]. Unfortunately, the present study did not directly cover the effects of distance on fruit quality.…”

“…These are reported to effectively extend the post-harvest life, minimize water loss, reduce chilling injuries and fight against post-harvest disease [37]. Jung et al (2000) [38] developed an egg-sourced albumin coating reinforced with nanocrystalline cellulose that can be made from waste materials. When coated onto bananas, avocadoes, papayas, and strawberries, the shelf-life was extended by a week, with reduced external browning and internal ripening.…”

Sustainability and Circular Economy of Food Wastes: Waste Reduction Strategies, Higher Recycling Methods, and Improved Valorization

“…Animal eggs are a particular product for preserving fruit because they are high in protein and lipid content. Moreover, food waste in the USA consists of 2% eggs, which is remarkable (Jung et al 2020). In another investigation, Laso et al attempted to find an economical and environmental stability in value chains in the fish canning industry based on circular economy.…”