Cytotoxic chemotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of cancer. Two major complications of chemotherapy are oxidative stress-induced side effects and infections. Oxidative damage to cells and tissues is caused by free radicals and active oxygen metabolites during cancer development and its treatment course (Abdel
Coating fresh vegetables is a useful strategy to maintain quality and prevent food waste. In this study, the effect of an edible coating composed of whey protein concentrate (WPC) and rosemary essential oil (REO) was evaluated on extending the shelf life of fresh spinach. The REO coating in 0.6% concentration decreased total microbial and coliform counts to 0.57, 0.23 log CFU/g, respectively, during storage. The coated sample with REO had the lowest decrease in the chlorophyll content on most days of the storage. The pH content compared to the control in samples of REO did not decrease significantly. WPC treatment demonstrated a preventive effect on weight loss and reduced the transmission of oxygen. According to the test panel, the spinach coating with 0.3% REO and WPC had the highest score. So, this coating can be considered a potentially effective method to increase the shelf life and quality of spinach.
Practical applications
Antimicrobial food coatings are protective barriers that, other than biodegradability, have the benefits of postponing spoilage, preserving the appearance of food, protecting foods against moisture loss, and preventing the transmission of oxygen, thus promoting the maintenance of nutritional quality and improving food safety. The current research has designed an edible coating made from whey protein concentrate and rosemary essential oil coatings and evaluated biochemical, physicochemical, mechanical, and sensory properties of these coatings on spinach to extend the shelf life.
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