Oct 2026· Food Research International· Vol 242 Pt 2, pp.
119988
· 0 citations· 57 references
Medicine
Abstract
Developing sustainable, high-performance hydrocolloid packaging remains challenging because polysaccharide films are typically brittle and provide limited barrier protection. Here, we present a synergistic strategy combining distiller's grains prolamin (DGSP) and deep eutectic solvents (DES) to tailor the structure and performance of chitosan (CS) films. CS/DGSP composites were first optimized for protein incorporation, and subsequently plasticized with three choline chloride-based DES (ChCl-glycerol, ChCl-xylitol, and ChCl-urea) at 0.5-2 wt%. Among the ratios tested, a CS/DGSP mass ratio of 2:1 was selected primarily for its superior barrier performance, with favorable film-forming stability and optical properties. DES plasticization, particularly 0.5 wt% ChCl-urea, further enhanced extensibility, UV shielding, and thermal stability, most notably increasing elongation at break to 70.93%, approximately 14-fold higher than that of the non-plasticized control. Structural characterizations indicated that DES-mediated multipoint hydrogen bonding partially replaced polymer-polymer interactions, enabling dual regulation of chain mobility and network densification. This flexible yet compact network suppressed water permeation while maintaining integrity and homogeneity. Strawberry preservation tests confirmed the superior ability of the optimized film to retard moisture loss, shrinkage, and microbial spoilage without compromising sensory quality. These findings provide a DES-assisted protein-polysaccharide design strategy that enables high-value DGSP utilization and offers mechanistic insights into structure-property relationships for sustainable packaging.
Abstract Starch–lignin (CS–Lig) blends commonly suffer from low ductility and poor interfacial compatibility, which limit their performance and processability. In this study, a choline chloride:monoethanolamine (ChCl:MEA, 1:3 molar ratio) deep eutectic solvent (DES) was investigated as a single dual-function additive for simultaneous plasticization of the starch-rich matrix and compatibilization of the starch–lignin interface, using glycerol as the reference plasticizer. Relative to glycerol, the DES system reduced mixing torque, melt temperature, and processing energy, indicating easier melt processing. It also produced a stronger depression of the glass-transition temperature, decreasing T g to 48.4 °C at the highest DES loading, and markedly increased elongation at break to 192.47 %. In addition, DES-plasticized blends showed a more homogeneous morphology, fewer interfacial defects, and higher onset thermal stability than the glycerol-plasticized counterpart (196.08 °C vs. 166.88 °C for the representative 2.0-part formulations). Overall, these results demonstrate that ChCl:MEA acts not only as an efficient plasticizer for the starch-rich matrix but also as an effective compatibilizer for the starch–lignin interface, providing a practical route to more processable and performance-balanced CS–Lig biocomposites.
Phuong Thi Hoang, C. Nguyen, Hong Thi Nguyen et al.· Journal of polymer engineeri...· 0 citations
Thermal exposure often causes structural collapse and melting-induced deformation in biphasic gels, restricting their application as 3D-printed dysphagia-friendly foods. In this study, chitin nanocrystals (ChNCs) were incorporated into low-acyl gellan gum (LAGG) sols to improve the recovery and printability of bicontinuous bigels (BCBG) after thermal treatment. After exposure at 85 °C for 10 min, the recovered BCBG containing 1.0% ChNCs (C1.0BGH) achieved the best balance between structural stability and processability. C1.0BGH effectively restricted oil-water migration, suppressed phase separation, and retained mechanical robustness (high creep recovery: 54.72 ± 1.64%; thixotropic recovery: 60.62 ± 0.12%). More importantly, the dimensional deviation of the printed constructs decreased from 29.33 ± 2.20% in BGH to 3.06 ± 0.40% in C1.0BGH. In addition, the selected spoon tilt and fork pressure assessments indicated that C1.0BGH partially met the texture criteria of International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Level 5 (Minced and Moist). Mechanistically, atomic force microscopy and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation analyses further revealed that ChNCs promoted a denser ChNCs-LAGG sol network, reducing surface roughness by 61.95% and pore area by 72.40%, and generating a tightly bound LAGG adsorption mass of 1294.06 ± 2.12 ng/cm2. These findings establish a precursor-state nano-engineering strategy for developing heat-processed, dysphagia-oriented 3D-printed foods with improved structural stability, printing fidelity, and texture suitability.
Erpeng Chao, Liuping Fan, Xiao-Lan Wang et al.· International Journal of Bio...· 0 citations
Cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin in wood cell walls form a biological macromolecular network whose organization and intermolecular interactions determine the compressibility and moisture stability of densified wood. This study presents a deep eutectic solvent (DES)-retention strategy that enables in situ plasticization and modification of this network during densification. The retained DES lowered the softening temperature from 100 to 55 °C, promoted the viscoelastic deformation of cell-wall polymers, and substantially relieved internal stress during compression. The resulting densified wood reached a density of 1.01 g cm-3, a modulus of rupture (MOR) of 197.04 ± 9.88 MPa, a modulus of elasticity (MOE) of 10.17 ± 0.71 GPa, and a Shore D hardness of 91, while exhibiting only 1.5% set recovery after soaking-boiling-drying cycles. Multiscale characterization indicated that DES pretreatment induced matrix depolymerization and cellulose swelling/disordering, whereas hot pressing promoted cellulose realignment and lignin recondensation, thereby stabilizing the compressed structure. The resulting material also showed improved resistance to fungal decay and mold growth, as well as improved flame-exposure behavior. A cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment further indicated lower environmental impacts than steel under the evaluated conditions. These results demonstrate that retaining DES to regulate cell-wall macromolecules provides an effective route to high-strength densified wood with negligible set recovery.
Yangyang Ran, Jiamin Wang, Wang Wang et al.· International Journal of Bio...· 0 citations
This study prepared high‐performance PBAT/starch composite films using biodegradable PBAT, starch, and a ternary deep eutectic solvent (DES) composed of glycerol/choline chloride/citric acid. The films were fabricated via in situ plasticization of starch with DES, melt blending, and film blowing. With 1.13 parts citric acid, 10.13 parts total DES, and 20% starch, the composite film achieved a longitudinal tensile strength of 19.63 MPa and elongation of 449%, and a transverse tensile strength of 20.75 MPa and elongation of 500%. Compared to the traditional glycerol‐plasticized system (8.43/8.77 MPa), strength increased by over 130%; compared to the binary DES system (15.07/15.45 MPa), strength further increased by over 30%. The composite film also showed good thermal stability within the processing range (150°C–160°C), and the water contact angle was significantly improved, demonstrating high strength, toughness, enhanced hydrophobicity, and good thermal stability. The ternary DES effectively disrupts the crystalline structure of starch for efficient plasticization, and the citric acid it contains may trigger interfacial esterification crosslinking between starch and PBAT, thereby enhancing two‐phase compatibility and stress transfer efficiency. This developed film has application potential in biodegradable packaging, disposable products, and environmentally friendly daily‐use films.
Liang Tang, Jingfeng Huang, Xiangying Chen et al.· Journal of Applied Polymer S...· 0 citations
This study aims to develop chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/carrageenan biocomposite films incorporating Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s wort) oil (0.1–5%, w/w) and to evaluate the influence of oil incorporation on their structural, mechanical, and dielectric properties. FTIR analysis confirmed strong hydrogen bonding among polymer components and successful oil incorporation without new chemical bond formation. SEM results indicated increased surface heterogeneity and phase separation at higher oil contents. Increasing oil concentration reduced tensile strength (47.1–29.7 MPa), Shore A hardness, density, and dielectric constant (from 4.67 to 3.96), while significantly enhancing tensile strain (30.8–65.7%), demonstrating a plasticizing effect. Overall, it demonstrated that St. John's wort oil can be used as a natural plasticizer in bio-based polymer film applications.
M. Karataş, R. Orhan, Buket Erzen et al.· Black Sea Journal of Enginee...· 0 citations
Pre-velveting foods suffer from significant flavor loss and limited shelf life during storage, motivating a demand for multifunctional starch-based carriers. To address this, corn starch (CS)-soy protein isolate (SPI) coacervates with varying CS ratios were fabricated to encapsulate fennel essential oil (FEO), yielding a pre-velveting material with antimicrobial and flavor-enhancing properties. Results indicated that higher CS/SPI ratios (4,1 and 5,1) enhanced viscoelasticity and reduced particle size by forming a dense polysaccharide-protein network that inhibited FEO aggregation compared with the lower ratios. The resulting microcapsules (CSSP4 and CSSP5) similarly demonstrated improved DPPH radical scavenging capacity (59.49% and 56.15%, respectively) and enhanced thermal stability. SEM and XRD confirmed increased cross-linking of CS upon coacervation with SPI, which provided the basis for the improved encapsulation efficiency of FEO via the dense structure, while FTIR and molecular dynamics simulations indicated that this structure was primarily driven by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions between CS and SPI, and the starch-protein interface was visualized. Electronic nose combined with GC-MS analyses identified anethole as the primary flavor compound of FEO microcapsules and showed that the stable structure delayed its release, with CSSP4 exhibiting the slowest release due to its higher density. Furthermore, among all formulations, CSSP4 showed the lowest TBARS values and pH increase, as well as the most favorable volatile profile and improved textural properties in cooked chicken cubes. This study presents a novel starch-based carrier designed to improve flavor retention and extend the shelf life of pre-velveting foods.
Hengpeng Wang, Yang Meng, Yiwei Jin et al.· Food Research International· 0 citations
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