Development of Multifunctional Nanoencapsulated trans-Resveratrol/Chitosan Nutraceutical Edible Coating for Strawberry Preservation

Abstract

Phytochemical nanoencapsulation for nutrient delivery and edible coatings for perishable food preservation are two emerging technologies. Leveraging the strong antimicrobial function of phytochemical nutrients, we propose convergent research to integrate the two technologies by embedding phytochemical-encapsulated nanoparticles in an edible coating on fresh fruits to achieve multiple functions. In particular, we report the study of an edible coating on strawberries that is composited of trans-resveratrol (R)-encapsulated nanoparticles (RNPs) embedded in a chitosan (CS) matrix. The biodegradable and biocompatible RNPs significantly increased the aqueous solubility of R by 150-fold and bioavailability by 3.5-fold after oral administration. Our results demonstrated the abilities of the RNP-embedded CS edible coating to diminish dehydration, prevent nutrient loss, inhibit microbe growth, increase nutraceutical value, preserve strawberry quality, and extend shelf life during storage at both 22 and 4 °C. Such a phytochemical nanoencapsulation-based edible coating is promising for the dual purposes of enhancing nutrient delivery and preserving perishable foods.

Incorporating of Oxidized Cellulose Nanofibers@d-Limonene Pickering Emulsion into Chitosan for Fully Biobased Coatings toward Fruits Protection

“…After being coated by dipping and stored at a temperature of 19–25 °C and humidity of 40–50% for 7 days, the strawberries coated with CFL-2 coatings film showed no signs of mildew and had a better appearance compared to the blank control group and the other groups with different coatings . The limited preservation effect of CFL-0 and CFL-1 coatings might be attributed to the insufficient concentration of d -Limonene, which have rendered them inability to effectively eliminate microorganisms present on the surface of the fruits . The freshness of strawberries soaked in the CFL-3 and CFL-4 coatings decreased as the concentration of d -Limonene increased.…”

The Commonly Used Stabilizers for Phytochemical-Based Nanoparticles: Stabilization Effects, Mechanisms, and Applications

“…CS-coated phytochemical-encapsulated NPs might have increased antimicrobial activity. Our recent study indicated that CS-coated trans -resveratrol-encapsulated NPs inhibited the growth of S. enteritidis , L. monocytogenes , E. coli , and S. aureus as compared to trans -resveratrol-encapsulated NPs without CS, and further prolonged the shelf-life of strawberries after dipping into the NP solutions [ 54 ]. One aforementioned research implied that the presence of amino groups in CS could potentially facilitate the binding of lemongrass NP solution to the negatively charged bacterial surface, hence justifying its antimicrobial effects [ 46 ].…”

Green Routes for Bio-Fabrication in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications

“…Ultimately, freestanding films were fabricated by solution casting on the strawberry surface. The composite films revealed excellent antimicrobial activity, reduced dehydration and texture deterioration of fruit, and increased the absorption of resveratrol by oral administration [ 161 ].…”