Maricruz Gonzalez

Mrs. Maricruz Gonzalez


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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31 July 2025 in Polymers
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Gustavo Cabrera-BarjasGustavo Cabrera-Barjas
Gustavo Cabrera-Barjas
MGMaricruz Gonzalez
Maricruz Gonzalez
Sergio ValenzuelaSergio Valenzuela
Sergio Valenzuela
XPXimena Preza
Ximena Preza
YPYeni Alexandra Paredes-Padilla
Yeni Alexandra Paredes-Padilla
Aleksandra NesicAleksandra Nesic
Aleksandra Nesic
In recent years, active packaging has become a focal point of research and development in the food industry, driven by increasing consumer demand for safe, high-quality, and sustainable food products. In this work, solvent casting processed an active antibacterial multicomponent film based on hydroxypropyl methylcellulose incorporated with ferulic acid and chitin nanofibers. The influences of ferulic acid and different content of chitin nanofibers on the structure, thermal, mechanical, and water vapor stability and antioxidant and antibacterial efficiency of films were studied. It was shown that the inclusion of only ferulic acid did not significantly influence the mechanical, water vapor, and thermal stability of films. In addition, films containing only ferulic acid did not display antibacterial activity. The optimal concentration of chitin nanofibers in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose–ferulic acid films was 5 wt%, providing a tensile strength of 15 MPa, plasticity of 52%, and water vapor permeability of 0.94 × 10−9 g/m s Pa. With further increase of chitin nanofibers content, films with layered and discontinuous phases are obtained, which negatively influence tensile strength and water vapor permeability. Moreover, only films containing both ferulic acid and chitin nanofibers demonstrated antibacterial activity toward E. coli and S. aureus, suggesting that the presence of fibers allows easier release of ferulic acid from the matrix. These results imply that the investigated three-component systems have potential applicability as sustainable active food packaging materials.