Study of morphological properties and rheological parameters of cellulose nanofibrils of cocoa shell (Theobroma cacao L.)

Alginate-Edible Coatings for Application on Wild Andean Blueberries (Vaccinium meridionale Swartz): Effect of the Addition of Nanofibrils Isolated from Cocoa By-Products

“…Moreover, through the blend of alginate with food preservatives and/or other food biopolymers, it is possible to obtain active edible coatings with improved functional properties [9,12,13]. It has been reported that the addition of nano-reinforcement agents can improve the mechanical properties and the water vapor barrier of alginate films [14].Cellulose has been reported as a suitable raw material for the formulation of films and edible coatings because it is an abundant, renewable, non-toxic, and cheap biopolymer [15,16]. In particular, the use of nanocellulose has gained a growing interest in the last years because of its high surface area and aspect ratio, absence of cytotoxic and genotoxic properties, and appealing physicochemical properties [17].…”

“…In particular, the use of nanocellulose has gained a growing interest in the last years because of its high surface area and aspect ratio, absence of cytotoxic and genotoxic properties, and appealing physicochemical properties [17]. There are several sources of cellulose including algae (e.g., Valonica ventricosa and Chaetamorpha melagonicum), bacteria (e.g., members of Acetobacterium genus and others), marine animals like tunicates (e.g., Microcosmus fulcatus), wood, cotton, plants (e.g., hemp, flax, jute, and ramie), and agricultural by-products (e.g., wheat straw, banana rachis, and cocoa shell) [15,18,19].Cocoa shells (Theobroma cacao L.) are a by-product of cocoa processing; they represent 12 wt.% of the raw material [20]. This by-product is underestimated and has been mainly used as fuel for boilers in the formulation of animal food and the manufacture of fertilizers [20].…”

“…Recently, some studies and patents have been developed, suggesting alternative applications for this material, as it contains very interesting compounds from a nutritional point of view, such as phenolic compounds, fibers, and a significant fat content with a lipid profile very similar to that of cocoa butter [21][22][23]. Moreover, considering its composition, it is also possible to promote a different approach so the cocoa shell can be used to produce nanostructures such as vegetable nanocellulose fibers [15], which can be used in applications like bionanocomposites for edible coatings, to improve the efficiency of the productive chocolate chain.Several authors have proposed the preparation of value-added bionanocomposites through the blending of biodegradable polymers (e.g., polycaprolactone and starch) with cellulose nanofibrils from cocoa pod husk. It has been reported that the addition of cocoa cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) in bioplastics allows materials with improved mechanical and barrier properties to be obtained [24,25].…”

“…Cellulose has been reported as a suitable raw material for the formulation of films and edible coatings because it is an abundant, renewable, non-toxic, and cheap biopolymer [15,16]. In particular, the use of nanocellulose has gained a growing interest in the last years because of its high surface area and aspect ratio, absence of cytotoxic and genotoxic properties, and appealing physicochemical properties [17].…”

“…Recently, some studies and patents have been developed, suggesting alternative applications for this material, as it contains very interesting compounds from a nutritional point of view, such as phenolic compounds, fibers, and a significant fat content with a lipid profile very similar to that of cocoa butter [21][22][23]. Moreover, considering its composition, it is also possible to promote a different approach so the cocoa shell can be used to produce nanostructures such as vegetable nanocellulose fibers [15], which can be used in applications like bionanocomposites for edible coatings, to improve the efficiency of the productive chocolate chain.…”