Food-packaging migration models: A critical discussion.

The widely accepted and used migration models that describe the mass transport from polymeric packaging material to food and food simulants are confirmed here. A critical review of the most accepted models is presented in detail. Their main advantages and weak points, regarding their predictive accuracy, are discussed and weighted toward their usage extensiveness. By identifying the specific areas where using such models may not provide a strong correlation between theoretical and actual results, this work also aims in outlining some particular directions regarding further research on food - packaging interactions.

Systematic transition from description to prediction for the oxidation in packaged olive oil.

In this work, an oxidation predictive model was proposed, following a methodical consideration of the natural laws and principles that determine the phenomena occurring during the olive oil oxidation. A mathematical description was obtained via a road-map involving selected "food-packaging-environment" system descriptors. A straightforward transition from the phenomena description to the tool was also developed. For this work, oxidation of packed edible oil was tested against the developed methodology, as a characteristic exemplar to confirm and support it. In conclusion, the proposed, mathematically supported, methodology was proven to be highly appropriate and satisfactory for capturing the potential chemical-physical evolution of oxidation, and therefore, the effectiveness of the tool has been demonstrated for oxidation of edible olive oil.

Development and characterization of films based on chemically cross-linked gliadins.

The aim of the present work has been to study the possibility of obtaining modified gliadin films with improved water resistance and mechanical properties by means of promoting intermolecular covalent bonds between polypeptide chains. Prior to casting films, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, and glyoxal were used to cross-link proteins at concentrations ranging from 1% to 4% (grams per 100 g of protein). Mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation at break), water vapor permeability, moisture sorption isotherms, and optical properties of the films produced were evaluated as a function of the cross-linker used. Experimental results showed that some properties of gliadin films were considerably modified. Cross-linking improved the water resistance of films, avoiding their disintegration. Their water barrier properties were also enhanced, but their moisture sorption properties remained unchanged. Formaldehyde imparted greater mechanical strength to films than glutaraldehyde or glyoxal, increasing tensile strength values 10-fold. Addition of the cross-linkers at concentrations in excess of 2.5% did not further improve the mechanical or barrier properties. However, modification with glutaraldehyde or glyoxal imparted an increasingly yellowish tint to the films.

Characterization of biodegradable films obtained from cysteine-mediated polymerized gliadins.

This study focuses on the effect exerted by interchain disulfide bonds on the functional properties of films made from gliadins when cross-linked with cysteine. Gliadins were extracted from commercial wheat gluten with 70% aqueous ethanol, and cysteine was added to the film-forming solution to promote cross-linking between protein chains. The formation of interchain disulfide bonds was assessed by SDS-PAGE analysis. Gliadin films treated with cysteine maintain their integrity in water and become less extensible while their tensile strength increases as a consequence of the development of a more rigid network. The glass transition temperature of cross-linked films shifts to slightly higher values. The plasticizing effects of glycerol and moisture are also demonstrated. The mechanical behavior of cysteine-cross-linked gliadin films was compared to that of polymeric glutenins. Cross-linked gliadins displayed tensile strength values similar to those of glutenin films but achieved slightly lower elongation values. Cysteine-cross-linked gliadin films present the advantage that they are ethanol soluble, facilitating film fabrication or their application as a coating for food or for any other film or surface.

Development and characterization of biodegradable films made from wheat gluten protein fractions.

Gliadins and glutenins were extracted from commercial wheat gluten on the basis of their extractability in ethanol and used to produce film-forming solutions. Films cast using these gliadin- and glutenin-rich solutions were characterized. Glycerol was used as a plasticizer, and its effect on the films was also studied. Films obtained from the glutenin fraction presented higher tensile strength values and lower elongation at break and water vapor permeability values than gliadin films. Gliadin films disintegrated when immersed in water. The GAB isotherm model was used to describe the equilibrium moisture sorption of the films. The glycerol concentration largely modified mechanical and water vapor barrier properties of both film types.