Hydrogels consist of cross-linked polymers that are highly swollen with water. Water evaporation or freezing during temperature changes may lead to stiff and brittle hydrogels. We introduce a strategy called “hydro-locking,” which involves immobilizing the water molecules within the polymer network of the hydrogel. This is accomplished by establishing robust connections between water molecules and the polymer by using sulfuric acid. A sacrificial network is introduced to shield the prime polymer network from collapsing. Under the hydro-locking mode, an alginate-polyacrylamide double-network hydrogel remains soft and stretchable within a temperature range that spans from –115° to 143°C. The strategy works with a range of hydrogels and solutions and may enable the preservation and observation of materials or even living organisms at extreme temperatures.

Phenolic compounds are minor metabolites usually present in mushroom species. Because of their potential advantages for human health, such as antioxidant and other biological activities, these bioactive components have been gaining more interest as functional foods, nutraceutical agents for providing better health conditions. This review aims to comprehensively discuss the recent advances in mushroom phenolic compounds, including new sources, structural characteristics, biological activities, potential uses and its industrial applications as well as the future perspectives. Phenolic acids as well as flavonoids are considered the most common phenolics occurring in mushroom species. These are responsible for its bioactivities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antihyperglycaemic, antiosteoporotic, anti-tyrosinase and antimicrobial activities. Several edible mushroom species with good phenolic content and show higher biological activity were highlighted, in a way for its futuristic applications. Trends on mushroom research highlighting new research areas, such as nanoformulation were discussed. Furthermore, the use of phenolic compounds as nutraceutical and cosmeceutical agents as well as the future perspectives and recommendations were made.

A novel nano-silicon oxides (SiOx)/chitosan complex film was prepared using ultrasonic assistant in the process of dissolving chitosan and silicon oxides (SiOx), and characterized by transmission electron microscopy. Its effect on quality preservation of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Zheza 205) was investigated under ambient temperature. The results revealed that the nano-SiOx/chitosan complex (NSCC) film retarded weight loss and softness, delayed the titratable acids and total soluble solids loss, and thus markedly extended shelf life of green tomatoes. The antimicrobial activity of tomatoes coated with NSCC film was also recorded higher compared to chitosan (Ch) films and control. In addition, the NSCC film-coated tomatoes prevent the increase of malondialdehyde content and total polyphenol content. Moreover, the peroxidase activity, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity, and polyphenoloxidase activity of tomatoes coated with NSCC film were found lower than that in other treatments. These data indicated that the beneficial effects of nano-SiOx/chitosan complex coating on postharvest quality were possibly associated with the lower rate of O₂/CO₂ transmission coefficient, limiting food-borne pathogenic bacterial growth, higher antioxidant activities, and also higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and anti-browning activities of related enzymes in the tomatoes. Further, the results of the study could be used to successfully develop a novel nano-SiOx/chitosan complex film for improving the postharvested quality of tomatoes and thus effectively utilized by the food packaging industry.

Alternaria alternata and Botrytis cinerea are among the primary fungal pathogens of fruits, causing black spot and gray mold disease, respectively. They cause serious losses in yield as well as affect fruit quality. Controlling fruit postharvest diseases largely relies on the use of chemical fungicides. However, the overuse of fungicides makes the produce unsafe due to their residual effects on the environment and human health. Therefore, significant advancements are necessary to investigate and find sustainable ways to prevent postharvest disease of fruits and minimize postharvest losses. This review summarizes the recent developments in the application of biological control and other sustainable approaches in managing fruit postharvest diseases, with an emphasis on A. alternata and B. cinerea, respectively. Furthermore, several action mechanisms, challenges, and prospects for the application of biological control agents (BCAs) are also discussed. Biological control application has been proven to successfully reduce postharvest disease of fruits caused by A. alternata and B. cinerea. In recent years, it has gradually changed from being primarily an independent field to a more crucial part of integrated pest management. Due to their characteristics that are safe, eco-friendly, and non-toxic, several BCAs have also been developed and commercialized. Therefore, biological control has the potential to be a promising approach to replace the use of chemical fungicides in controlling postharvest disease of fruits.