Sources of Carotenoids in Amazonian Fruits.

Epidemiological studies have shown that a diet rich in bioactive components significantly reduces cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality. In this sense, there is a need for meta-analytical research that confirms this phenomenon and increases specific knowledge about certain bioactive compounds such as carotenoids. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aim to disseminate knowledge about the sources of carotenoids in fruit consumed in the north of Brazil which are outside the Brazilian trade balance. A systematic review and a meta-analysis following the PRISMA guidelines were conducted based on a random effects synthesis of multivariable-adjusted relative risks (RRs). Searches of seven sources were carried out, including PubMed, Science Direct from Elsevier, Web of Science, Scielo, Eric Research and Google Scholar databases. The systematic review was guided by a systematic review protocol based on the POT strategy (population, outcome and type of study) adapted for use in this research. Mendeley was a resource used to organize and manage references and exclude duplicates of studies selected for review. In this review, we present the potential bioactive compounds concentrated in little-known fruit species from the Amazon and their benefits. Consuming fruits that are rich in notable constituents such as carotenoids is important for the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases through anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant properties, as well as antivirals, immunomodulators and antioxidants agents that directly affect the immune response.

Improved Antioxidant and Mechanical Properties of Food Packaging Films Based on Chitosan/Deep Eutectic Solvent, Containing Açaí-Filled Microcapsules.

The development of biobased antioxidant active packaging has been valued by the food industry for complying with environmental and food waste concerns. In this work, physicochemical properties for chitosan composite films as a potential active food packaging were investigated. Chitosan films were prepared by solution casting, plasticized with a 1:2 choline chloride: glycerol mixture as a deep eutectic solvent (DES) and incorporated with 0-10% of optimized açaí oil polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs). Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that the chitosan composite films were continuous and contained well-dispersed PECs. The increased PECs content had significant influence on the thickness, water vapor permeability, crystallinity (CrD) and mechanical and dynamic behavior of the films, as well as their antioxidant properties. The tensile strength was reduced in the following order: 11.0 MPa (control film) > 0.74 MPa (5% DES) > 0.63 MPa (5% DES and 5% PECs). Films containing 2% of PECs had an increased CrD, ~6%, and the highest elongation at break, ~104%. Films with 1% of PECs displayed the highest antioxidant properties against the ABTS and DPPH radicals, ~6 and ~17 mg TE g-1, respectively, and highest equivalent polyphenols content (>0.5 mg GAE g-1). Films with 2% of particles were not significantly different. These results suggested that the chitosan films that incorporated 1-2% of microparticles had the best combined mechanical and antioxidant properties as a potential material for food packaging.

Chitosan as a Valuable Biomolecule from Seafood Industry Waste in the Design of Green Food Packaging.

Chitosan is a versatile biomolecule with a broad range of applications in food and pharmaceutical products. It can be obtained by the alkaline deacetylation of chitin. This biomolecule can be extracted using conventional or green methods from seafood industry residues, e.g., shrimp shells. Chitin has limited applications because of its low solubility in organic solvents. Chitosan is soluble in acidified solutions allowing its application in the food industry. Furthermore, biological properties, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, as well as its biodegradability, biocompatibility and nontoxicity have contributed to its increasing application as active food packaging. Nevertheless, some physical and mechanical features have limited a broader range of applications of chitosan-based films. Green approaches may be used to address these limitations, leading to well-designed chitosan-based food packaging, by employing principles of a circular and sustainable economy. In this review, we summarize the properties of chitosan and present a novel green technology as an alternative to conventional chitin extraction and to design environmentally friendly food packaging based on chitosan.