Talc is proposed as a low-cost mineral for wastewater clarification. In this sense, adsorption of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions was studied comparatively by using sepiolite (qualified as very good adsorbent) and two talc samples with different particle size and purity degree. The MB adsorption was assessed by determining remnant dye in the supernatant using UV-vis spectroscopy and by detecting dye adsorbed on mineral samples through thermogravimetric analysis and infrared spectroscopy. Both isothermal curves and kinetic studies demonstrate that talc is a good dye adsorbent. Particularly, with dye concentrations similar to those of textile wastewater, talc was demonstrated to adsorb the same dye content of sepiolite at similar times. Natural talc could be employed as a low-cost alternative in wastewater treatment for the removal of cationic dyes.

A polyethylene (PE) film surface modification method is proposed via benzoic acid (BA) alkylation grafting to improve the surface affinity to polar substances. The procedure involves sequentially spraying AlCl₃ and BA onto the heat-softened PE surface. The occurrence of the alkylation reaction was evaluated through comparative chemical, morphological, and thermal analyses. It was demonstrated that the grafting reaction of BA onto the PE film surface took place, limited to the surface layer, while preserving the bulk properties of PE. The reaction resulted in the formation of aluminum benzoate complexes, which improved the surface affinity to polar compounds. The impact of grafting on the surface properties of PE was further assessed by comparing the behavior of PE films treated with BA and untreated PE films when painted with watercolors. The PE film grafted with BA exhibited increased affinity towards watercolors, providing strong evidence of a change in surface polarity from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. These findings indicate that the proposed methodology effectively renders the PE surface paintable, even with non-toxic water-based inks, making it suitable for applications such as packaging.

Eco-friendly packaging for functional foods aims to reduce environmental impact while maintaining product integrity and ensuring consumer safety. Both the food industry and consumers must transition toward packaging solutions that are sustainable, biodegradable, and non-toxic. Among the key benefits of using environmentally friendly materials for functional food packaging are their sustainability, growing consumer preference, and regulatory compliance. Functional foods are products that offer health benefits beyond basic nutrition, such as enhancing immunity, improving digestion, or promoting overall well-being. This review emphasizes that the packaging of functional foods using an eco-friendly design approach is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and the consumers’ preferences. It included the definition and regulatory framework of functional foods, the bioactivity and health effects of bioactive compounds/microorganisms, packaging requirements and solutions for functional foods, as well as conventional and innovative analytical techniques for bioactive compound analysis. Eco-friendly packaging for functional foods is environmentally vital for waste reduction, socially crucial for meeting conscious demand, and economically sound for driving sustainable innovation and green markets.

Food powders were produced from olive pomace (Coratina, COP, and Arbequina, AOP) using freeze-drying with maltodextrin (MD) and native corn starch (NS) as wall materials in varying proportions. Optical microscopy revealed that OP was partially recovered by MD and NS. COP presented a total polyphenol content (TPC) of 53.8 g GAE/kg; meanwhile, AOP was 31.9 g GAE/kg. Accordingly, powders obtained from COP presented higher TPC than those from AOP. NS allowed obtaining powders with higher TPC and antioxidant activity. The greatest encapsulation efficiency was achieved by using 15% MD, achieving values of 94.9% for COP and 89.4% for AOP. Hydroxytyrosol was identified as the predominant polyphenol in the powders. It was demonstrated that powders could be added to food formulations and withstand cooking temperatures up to 220 °C without suffering a significant thermal degradation. Chemometric analysis of MIR and NIR spectra evidenced that they are analytical techniques capable of differentiating OP varieties and wall material types, besides variations in OP concentration. Results derived from this study demonstrated that it is feasible to give added value to olive pomace, obtaining powders rich in antioxidants to be used as ingredients of functional foods.

Polyethylene is widely used in flexible packaging, but its hydrophobic and inert surface limits its compatibility with environmentally friendly water-based inks and paints. Conventional methods improve wettability only temporarily and with limited control. Here, we introduce a surface functionalization method in which salicylic acid is grafted onto polyethylene films through an aluminum-mediated alkylation process compatible with continuous film processing. Infrared-softened polyethylene films were sequentially sprayed with AlCl₃ and salicylic acid. Reaction occurrence was confirmed by chemical and morphological analyses, revealing the in situ formation of aluminum salicylate complexes anchored to the polyethylene surface. Wettability tests demonstrated enhanced compatibility with water-based paints.