Most polymeric food packaging materials are non-biodegradable and derived from petroleum, thus recent studies have focused on evaluating alternative biodegradable materials from renewable sources, with polysaccharides and proteins as the main types of employed biopolymers. Therefore, this study aimed to develop biopolymeric films based on sunflower proteins and galactomannans from locust bean gum. The influence of the galactomannan amount (0.10%, 0.30%, 0.50%, and 0.75% w/v) on the physicochemical, thermal, and mechanical properties of cast sunflower protein-based films was studied. Sunflower proteins gave rise to yellowish, shining, and translucid films. With the incorporation of locust bean gum-derived galactomannans, the films became more brown and opaque, although they still maintained some translucency. Galactomannans significantly changed the proteins’ secondary structures, giving rise to films with increased tensile resistance and stretchability. Nevertheless, the increase in the galactomannan amount did not have a significant effect on the film’s thermal stability. The protein/galactomannan-based films showed values of water vapor and oxygen permeability that were slightly higher than those of the pristine materials. Overall, blending locust bean gum galactomannans with sunflower proteins was revealed to be a promising strategy to develop naturally colored and translucid films with enhanced mechanical resistance while maintaining flexibility, fitting the desired properties for biodegradable food packaging materials.

Hydrogel is a gel formed by a three-dimensional network of hydrophilic polymers and copolymers, widely used for different purposes in the textile, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, biomedical, and food industries. The use of starch hydrogels in food applications is growing and can be used mainly as a release control system for bioactive compounds, ingredient for 3D printing of food and in bioactive films. This integrative review aimed to bring the current scenario of the development of starch-based hydrogels and their use in the food area. Studies published from 2011 to 2021, available in full, published in Portuguese, English or Spanish, were selected. 631 studies were found in the searched databases. Of these, 599 were excluded and 32 selected. Studies have revealed that the development of starch hydrogels has increased more and more, being widely discussed nowadays, with relevance for application in the food area.

A demanda dos consumidores brasileiros por produtos de panificação mais saudáveis, que apresentem no rótulo alegações nutricionais, tais como fonte de fibras, tem aumentando nos últimos anos, promovendo também uma maior agregação de valor a tais produtos. Os alimentos sem glúten surgem para atender a população portadora da doença celíaca e também pessoas que não possuem restrição alimentar, mas que optam por consumir esses alimentos por associarem os mesmos com uma alimentação mais saudável. Nessa pesquisa foi avaliada a viabilidade da produção de uma massa de pizza fonte de fibras e sem glúten, adicionada de psyllium, utilizando como base amilácea a farinha de arroz e pasta de inhame. As massas adicionadas de fibras foram comparadas com o controle e avaliadas quanto a aceitação sensorial por escala hedônica e intenção de compra. Para a caracterização dos produtos desenvolvidos também foram realizadas análises físico-químicas, cálculo da composição nutricional e textura instrumental. Verificou-se que, a adição de fibras de psyllium aumentou a extensibilidade da massa crua (p

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the packaging system on the useful life and post-harvest quality of lamb’s-ear leaves (Stachys byzantina L.). The sanitized sheets were packaged in four different packaging systems: (A) rigid polyethylene (PET), (B) PET together with ethylene-absorbing sachet, (C) PET wrapped with high barrier plastic film, and (D) PET together with an ethylene-absorbing sachet and wrapped with high barrier plastic film and stored at 7 ° C. Samples for physical-chemical analysis, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity were removed before storing and at 5, 10 and 15 days of storage. The leaves contained in packages C showed less loss of mass and in system D they showed greater preservation of color attributes (L *, C * and °H). The packaging did not influence the contents of bioactive compounds, which showed higher values at 5 days of storage. The leaves stored in A, B, C and D showed high antioxidant capacity until the 15th day of storage. It was concluded that the quality atrib\utes of the lamb’s-ear leaves were kept in all packaging systems throughout 15 days of cold storage. The contents of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity showed the highest values up to 5 days of storage at 7 ºC. Thus, considering the economic aspects and practicality in handling, packaging A is the most suitable for refrigerated storage (7 ºC) and commercialization of fresh lamb’s-ear leaves up to 15 days of storage.