Preparation of Active Nanocomposite Film Consisting of Sodium Caseinate, ZnO Nanoparticles and Rosemary Essential Oil for Food Packaging Applications

Recent Advances in the Development of Smart and Active Biodegradable Packaging Materials

“…Moreover, their functional performance can be enhanced by incorporating organic or inorganic nanoparticles or nanofibers [ 22 , 23 ]. For instance, nano-forms of clay, iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ), titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) can be used (inorganic nanoparticles), as well as nano-forms of chitin and cellulose and their derivatives (organic nanoparticles) [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. The resulting nanocomposites often have enhanced technofunctional characteristics such as improved optical, mechanical and barrier properties, as well as some novel functional attributes, such as antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, that can prolong the shelf life of packaged foods [ 29 , 30 , 31 ].…”

“…Dairy proteins, such as casein and whey protein, have been shown to be capable of forming biodegradable packaging materials. Caseins, which come in various types (including α S1 , α S2 , β, and κ caseins), make up around 80% of the proteins in milk [ 25 , 41 ]. These proteins are fairly flexible proteins that tend to aggregate around their isoelectric point (pH 4.6), which is important for many of their functional attributes.…”

“…For instance, they may be designed to inhibit microbial growth, to retard undesirable chemical reactions, or to control enzyme activity, thereby extending the shelf life of foods [ 108 , 109 ]. Typically, this is achieved by incorporating antimicrobials and/or antioxidants agents into the packaging materials, with a particular emphasis on the utilization of natural botanically-derived functional ingredients for clean labeling purposes [ 7 , 25 , 110 , 111 , 112 ]. One of the potential advantages of active packaging materials is that the antioxidants and antimicrobials are located within the film, rather than within the food, which may reduce the amount of these additives required to protect the food during storage, as well as reducing the amount ingested [ 108 , 109 , 113 , 114 ].…”

Characterization and Optimization of Persian Gum/Whey Protein Bionanocomposite Films Containing Betanin Nanoliposomes for Food Packaging Utilization

“…Persian gum (PG), also named Zedo and Angum, is a natural and low-cost biopolymer that is extracted from Amygdalus scoparia Spach (the mountain almond tree), which grows naturally in Iran's forests. Considering its dry weight, PG is constituted by polysaccharides (mainly galactopyranosyl and arabinofuranosyl polysaccharides) and a scarce amount of proteins, thereby having a high water absorption capacity [5,6]. The adverse ratio of Ara:Gal, the low protein content and the existence of xylose and mannose were highlighted as a distinguishing feature compared to gum Arabic.…”

“…This anionic hydrocolloid possesses emulsifying properties that are similar to those of gum Arabic; it forms brittle films that can be developed by applying a plasticizer [8]. Recently, several investigations have elucidated the capacity of PG in the preparation of edible films or coatings [8][9][10][11][12]. Likewise, the interaction of PG with whey proteins and β-lactoglobulin has been investigated, where the potentiality of these interactions for film-forming solutions was remarked [13,14].…”