Isolation and Characterization Cellulose Nanosphere from Different Agricultural By-Products

Upcycling Food By-products: Characteristics and Applications of Nanocellulose

Rising global food prices and the increasing prevalence of food insecurity highlight the imprudence of food waste and the inefficiencies of the current food system. Upcycling food by-products holds significant potential for mitigating food loss and waste within the food supply chain. Food by-products can be utilized to extract nanocellulose, a material that has obtained substantial attention recently due to its renewability, biocompatibility, bioavailability, and a multitude of remarkable properties. Cellulose nanomaterials have been the subject of extensive research and have shown promise across a wide array of applications, including the food industry. Notably, nanocellulose possesses unique attributes such as a surface area, aspect ratio, rheological behavior, water absorption capabilities, crystallinity, surface modification, as well as low possibilities of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. These qualities make nanocellulose suitable for diverse applications spanning the realms of food production, biomedicine, packaging, and beyond. This review aims to provide an overview of the outcomes and potential applications of cellulose nanomaterials derived from food by-products. Nanocellulose can be produced through both top-down and bottom-up approaches, yielding various types of nanocellulose. Each of these variants possesses distinctive characteristics that have the potential to significantly enhance multiple sectors within the commercial market.

Production of Hydrogels from Microwave-Assisted Hydrothermal Fractionation of Blackcurrant Pomace

The exploitation of unavoidable food supply chain wastes resulting from primary and secondary processing for chemicals, materials, and bioenergy is an important concept in the drive towards circular-based, resource-efficient biorefineries rather than petroleum refineries. The potential production of hydrogels (materials) from unavoidable food supply chain wastes, which are naturally rich in biopolymers such as cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and lignin, represents an interesting opportunity. However, these intertwined and interconnected biopolymers require separation and deconstruction prior to any useful application. Thus, this study aims to explore the formation of hydrogels from defibrillated celluloses (MW-DFCs) produced via acid-free stepwise microwave hydrothermal processing of blackcurrant pomace residues. Initially, pectin was removed from blackcurrant pomace residues (MW, 100-160 °C), and the resultant depectinated residues were reprocessed at 160 °C. The pectin yield increased from 2.36 wt.% (MW, 100 °C) to 3.07 wt.% (MW, 140 °C) and then decreased to 2.05 wt.% (MW, 160 °C). The isolated pectins were characterized by attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and 13C NMR (D2O). The cellulosic-rich residues were reprocessed (MW, 160 °C) and further characterized by ATR-IR, TGA, and Klason lignin analysis. All the MW-DFCs contained significant lignin content, which prevented hydrogel formation. However, subsequent bleaching (H2O2/OH-) afforded off-white samples with improved gelling ability at the concentration of 5% w/v. Confocal laser microscopy (CLSM) revealed the removal of lignin and a more pronounced cellulosic-rich material. In conclusion, the microwave-assisted defibrillation of blackcurrant pomace, an exploitable unavoidable food supply chain waste, affords cellulosic-rich materials with the propensity to form hydrogels which may serve useful applications when put back into food products, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and home and personal care products.

How to Develop Drug Delivery System Based on Carbohydrate Nanoparticles Targeted to Brain Tumors

Brain tumors are the most difficult to treat, not only because of the variety of their forms and the small number of effective chemotherapeutic agents capable of suppressing tumor cells, but also limited by poor drug transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Nanoparticles are promising drug delivery solutions promoted by the expansion of nanotechnology, emerging in the creation and practical use of materials in the range from 1 to 500 nm. Carbohydrate-based nanoparticles is a unique platform for active molecular transport and targeted drug delivery, providing biocompatibility, biodegradability, and a reduction in toxic side effects. However, the design and fabrication of biopolymer colloidal nanomaterials have been and remain highly challenging to date. Our review is devoted to the description of carbohydrate nanoparticle synthesis and modification, with a brief overview of the biological and promising clinical outcomes. We also expect this manuscript to highlight the great potential of carbohydrate nanocarriers for drug delivery and targeted treatment of gliomas of various grades and glioblastomas, as the most aggressive of brain tumors.

Development of Smart Bilayer Alginate/Agar Film Containing Anthocyanin and Catechin-Lysozyme

Smart packaging can provide real-time information about changes in food quality and impart a protective effect to the food product by using active agents. This study aimed to develop a smart bilayer film (alginate/agar) with a cellulose nanosphere (CNs) from corncob. The bilayer films were prepared using 1.5% (w/w) sodium alginate with 0.25% (w/v) butterfly pea extract incorporated (indicator layer) and 2% (w/w) agar containing 0.5% (w/v) catechin−lysozyme (ratio 1:1) (active layer). The CNs were incorporated into the alginate layer at different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, and 30% w/w-based film) in order to improve the film’s properties. The thickness of smart bilayer film dramatically increased with the increase of CNs concentration. The inclusion of CNs reduced the transparency and elongation at break of the smart bilayer film while increasing its tensile strength (p < 0.05). The integration of CNs did not significantly affect the solubility and water vapor permeability of the smart bilayer film (p > 0.05). The smart bilayer film displayed a blue film with a glossy (without CNs) or matte surface (with CNs). The developed bilayer film shows excellent pH sensitivity, changing color at a wide range of pHs, and has a good response to ammonia and acetic acid gases. The film possesses exceptional antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The integration of CNs did not influence the antibacterial activity of the film, despite the presence of a higher level of DPPH in film containing CNs. The smart bilayer film was effectively used to monitor shrimp freshness. These findings imply that smart bilayer films with and without CNs facilitate food safety and increase food shelf life by monitoring food quality.