Microfluidic technology has emerged as a powerful tool for several applications, including chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering. Due to the laminar regime, droplet-based microfluidics enable the development of diverse delivery systems based on food-grade emulsions, such as multiple emulsions, microgels, microcapsules, solid lipid microparticles, and giant liposomes. Additionally, by precisely manipulating fluids on the low-energy-demand micrometer scale, it becomes possible to control the size, shape, and dispersity of generated droplets, which makes microfluidic emulsification an excellent approach for tailoring delivery system properties based on the nature of the entrapped compounds. Thus, this review points out the most current advances in droplet-based microfluidic processes, which successfully use food-grade emulsions to develop simple and complex delivery systems. In this context, we summarized the principles of droplet-based microfluidics, introducing the most common microdevice geometries, the materials used in the manufacture, and the forces involved in the different droplet-generation processes into the microchannels. Subsequently, the encapsulated compound type, classified as lipophilic or hydrophilic functional compounds, was used as a starting point to present current advances in delivery systems using food-grade emulsions and their assembly using microfluidic technologies. Finally, we discuss the limitations and perspectives of scale-up in droplet-based microfluidic approaches, including the challenges that have limited the transition of microfluidic processes from the lab-scale to the industrial-scale.

Microfluidic technology has become a powerful tool for several applications in chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering. Benefiting from the advantages of flowing fluids in the laminar regime, droplet-based microfluidics enable the development of various delivery systems based on food-grade emulsions, such as multiple emulsions, microgels, microcapsules, solid lipid micro-particles, and giant liposomes. Besides, by manipulating fluids on a micrometer scale with low-energy demand, it is possible to control the size, shape, and dispersity of droplets generated, which makes microfluidic emulsification an excellent strategy to modulate delivery system properties depending on the entrapped compound type. Thus, this review points out the most current advances in droplet-based microfluidic processes, in which food-grade materials were successfully utilized to develop simple and complex delivery systems. In that context, we sum-marized the principles of droplet-based microfluidics, introducing the most common microde-vices geometries, manufacturing materials, and forces involved in the different droplet generation processes within the microchannels. Subsequently, the encapsulated compound type, classified as lipophilic or hydrophilic functional compounds, was used as a starting point to present current advances in delivery systems based on food-grade emulsions and assembly using microfluidic technologies. Finally, we discuss the limitations and perspectives of scale-up in droplet-based microfluidic approaches, including the challenges that have limited the transition of microfluidic processes from lab-scale to industrial-scale.

Active packaging has emerged as a promising technological alternative for coating fruits and extending their shelf life. In this study, we developed a Tara gum and chitosan nanostructure-based coating, assessing its effects on guava shelf life and antifungal activity. In vitro analyses showed that nanochitosan suspension concentrations between 4.5 and 5.625 mg·mL⁻¹ completely inhibited the growth of the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and reduced the growth of Puccinia psidii. In in vivo tests, guavas coated with a 1.5% (w/v) Tara gum coating with 0.5% (v/v) nanochitosan exhibited significantly delayed or no lesion growth, unlike the control group, where lesions developed continuously. Beyond antifungal results, the Tara gum and nanochitosan coatings maintained the guava’s luminescence for up to 16 days, reduced weight loss, and preserved firmness compared to the control group. Firmness tests indicated that Tara gum, both pure and at 0.1% and 0.3% (v/v) concentrations, was effective in preserving this characteristic. Chemically, the coating also contributed to increased pH and acidity of the guavas, although a reduction in reducing and total sugars was observed in all groups. These findings confirm that the Tara gum with nanochitosan-based coating is an effective nanotechnological biomaterial to extend the shelf life of seasonal fruits, acting as a physical and biological barrier against pathogens and supporting post-harvest preservation.

Injectable hydrogels made from biopolymers present promising platforms for tissue engineering and wound healing applications, particularly because of their tunable mechanical properties and the ability to support cell growth. In this work, we developed and characterized composite hydrogels composed of gellan gum methacryloyl (GMa), unmodified gellan gum (GG), and fibrin (Fib) to investigate their mechanical properties on Raw 264.7 and primary murine macrophages. The mechanical properties and porosity of the hydrogels were tailored by varying the ratio of GGMa and fibrinogen. Hydrogels with higher concentrations of fibrinogen (7–9 mg/mL) exhibited increased stiffness and enhanced porosity and maintained a high cell viability for both lineages. Immunocytochemistry confirmed that primary macrophages preserved their phenotype, expressing crucial markers (F4/80, iNOS, and arginase-1), indicating that the GMa-based hydrogels with optimized fibrinogen concentration can serve as effective scaffolds for macrophage response, promoting M1–M2 macrophage differentiation.