Value-added utilization of fruit and vegetable processing by-products for the manufacture of biodegradable food packaging films.

Currently, the demand for eco-friendly packaging materials to replace plastic is increasing. Edible or biodegradable packaging films prepared from natural compounds such as proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids have emerged as alternatives to non-biodegradable packaging materials. Fruit and vegetable waste has potential as a bioplastic material promoting environmental sustainability. In this regard, the use of underutilized compounds, such as by-products of fruit and vegetable processing in the production of biodegradable packaging films, is attracting more and more attention due to the availability of raw materials, cheapness, abundance, environmental friendliness, suitable physical properties, unique sensory and nutritional properties, and increased physical properties and functionality. The food industry, such as oil, juice, jam, or sugar production, contributes significantly to food waste generation. The agricultural/food processing by-products such as husks, seeds, offal, leaves, and gums from the production and processing of food contain high amounts of fibrous and plant proteins such as starch, cellulose, and pectin. As a result, food waste can be reused for recycling and high-value-added purposes, reducing environmental pollution and enabling sustainable green development. The present review discusses the use of fruit and vegetable by-products for producing biopolymers as an alternative to synthetic plastic polymers and the application of these biopolymers as value-added functional packaging films and coatings.

Bacterial and oxidative control of local butter with smart/active film based on pectin/nanoclay/Carum copticum essential oils/ß-carotene.

In this study, Pectin/Nanoclay (montmorillonite)/Carum copticum Essential oils/ß-Carotene (Pec/Clay/CCE/ßC) composite film was prepared. The effect of ß-Carotene (ßC) and Carum copticum Essential oils (CCE) concentration on the antioxidant activity and color/mechanical properties of Pec/Clay/CCE/ßC film was studied. The morphology and antibacterial activity of film were studied. The films containing maximum essential oil and ß-carotene showed the best antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity, flexibility and firmness. So the Pec/Clay/CCE0.5%/BC0.03% film as the optimum film was used for packaging of local butter. Oxidative stability, microbial count, and color properties (L*, a* and b*) of butter packaged with active film (Pec/Clay/CCE/ßC) were investigated. Results showed that Pec/Clay/CCE/ßC film was effective against Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) more than Escherichia coli (E. coli). According to the results active packaged butter had the highest oxidative stability, lowest microbial load, and the least color change during storage. In the packaging process, Pec/Clay/CCE/ßC film color was changed from orange to light yellow and this color change was used as a smart color indicator to detect the oxidation of butter and expiration time of butter.