The objective of this study was to develop films with reduced hygroscopicity and improved mechanical properties from acetylated cassava starch. For that, an acetylation procedure using acetic anhydride as the esterification reagent was performed, resulting in starch acetates with degrees of substitution (DS) of 0.6 (S0.6) and 1.1 (S1.1). Twelve films formulations were studied: native cassava starch (S), starch acetate S0.6 and S1.1, with two glycerol concentrations (0.25 g.100 g^-1 (25) and 0.30 g.100 g^-1 (30)). The films were conditioned at the relative humidities (RH) of 58% and 75% for 96 h before characterization. Water vapor permeability, water solubility, water sorption isotherms, microstructural analyses, and mechanical properties in different relative humidity and different glycerol concentration were performed. Starch acetate films (S1.1) resulted in lower water vapor permeability (2.35 ± 0.26 × 10^-7g/m.s.Pa) and water solubility (21.2 ± 0.16 g.100 g^-1) than native starch films (3.79 ± 0.26 × 10^-7 g/m.s.Pa and 25.46 ± 0.12 g.100 g^-1). S0.6 films showed higher tensile strength (8.42 ± 0.84 MPa) than S1.1 films (6.93 ± 0.55 MPa). The results indicated that acetylated starch can be used to produce films with improved mechanical properties, with less water solubility and permeability to water vapor, especially when starch acetate with 0.6 DS and low glycerol concentration are used. Chemical compounds used in this article: Starch, acetate (PubChem CID: 24832118); Acetic acid (PubChem CID: 176); Acetic anhydride (PubChem CID: 7918); Sulfuric acid (PubChem CID: 1118); Glycerol (PubChem CID: 753).

Cassava starch, dolomitic limestone and eucalypt cellulose fibres were used to prepare foam trays that could be used to pack foodstuffs. The influence of the cellulose fibre concentration in the composite formulation was investigated using 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40% of fibres. The results indicated that an increase in cellulose fibre concentration promoted a decrease in density and tensile strength of the foam samples. The tensile strength at break for foam trays containing 5% of cellulose fibres was 3.03MPa, whilst the commercial trays of expanded polystyrene used to pack foods in supermarkets presented a tensile strength of 1.49 MPa. The elongation at break of the foam trays obtained in this work varied slightly with increase in cellulose fibre concentration, the values being about 20% lower than the elongation at break observed for commercial foam trays of expanded polystyrene. Thus, the materials developed in this work represented a possible alternative to the use of EPS foam trays for packing dry foods. The trays' properties need to be improved for their use with moist foods.

Millions of dollars have been increasingly spent on plant-based diets. Considering that vitamin B12 is obtained from the consumption of animal-derived foods, new sources of vitamin B12 and methods of food fortification are being eagerly sought. Therefore, this work aims to evaluate advances in situ fermentation processes of food and beverages produced on a large scale and industrial applications for obtaining cobalamin-rich products. Bibliometric analysis was performed and revealed that several studies report a great capacity for in situ biofortification of B12 in foods, mostly on the use of propionic (PB) and lactic (LAB) bacteria. In this context, market potentials for such products, the main microorganisms, including simultaneous cultures, and their respective applications have been presented herein. Although knowledge on potential applications is still limited, field research has been increasingly conducted, thus revealing scientific and technological opportunities, both for the production and the stability of B12 found in plant-based foods.