There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality.

Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

I and i

Chitosan as a bioactive polymer: Processing, properties and applications.

Recent advances on polysaccharides, lipids and protein based edible films and coatings: A review.

Polysaccharides, Protein and Lipid -Based Natural Edible Films in Food Packaging: A Review.

In a time where the public is more aware and interested with what they eat, natural additives have been gaining interest both from the food industries and the consumers. Some studies show that consumers prefer food prepared with natural additives rather than chemical ones, due to health reasons. Although quite promising, natural additives still face some drawbacks and limitations as well as conflicting information. In this manuscript, the most important natural additives are overviewed, as well as their use, benefits and risks. The future of these molecules along with new types of additives is also summarized.

/pdf/natural-food-additives-quo-vadis-2srr702w1o.pdf

Natural food additives: Quo vadis?

Characterization and antimicrobial activity studies of polypropylene films with carvacrol and thymol for active packaging

This review discusses the latest advances in the composition of gelatin-based edible films and coatings, including nanoparticle addition, and their properties are reviewed along their potential for application in the food packaging industry. Gelatin is an important biopolymer derived from collagen and is extensively used by various industries because of its technological and functional properties. Nowadays, a very wide range of components are available to be included as additives to improve its properties, as well as its applications and future potential. Antimicrobials, antioxidants and other agents are detailed due to the fact that an increasing awareness among consumers regarding healthy lifestyle has promoted research into novel techniques and additives to prolong the shelf life of food products. Thanks to its ability to improve global food quality, gelatin has been particularly considered in food preservation of meat and fish products, among others.

/pdf/gelatin-based-films-and-coatings-for-food-packaging-38ppdyrou9.pdf

Gelatin-Based Films and Coatings for Food Packaging Applications

Regardless of the considerable progress in properties and versatility of synthetic polymers, their low biodegradability and lack of environmentally-friendly character remains a critical issue. Pectin is a natural-based polysaccharide contained in the cell walls of many plants allowing their growth and cell extension. This biopolymer can be extracted from plants and isolated as a bioplastic material with different applications, including food packaging. This review aims to present the latest research results regarding pectin, including the structure, different types, natural sources and potential use in several sectors, particularly in food packaging materials. Many researchers are currently working on a multitude of food and beverage industry applications related to pectin as well as combinations with other biopolymers to improve some key properties, such as antioxidant/antimicrobial performance and flexibility to obtain films. All these advances are covered in this review.

/pdf/recent-trends-in-the-use-of-pectin-from-agro-waste-residues-37wcu5kkza.pdf

Recent Trends in the Use of Pectin from Agro-Waste Residues as a Natural-Based Biopolymer for Food Packaging Applications.

https://rua.ua.es/dspace/bitstream/10045/36860/1/2014_Ramos_etal_Food-Chemistry.pdf

Development of novel nano-biocomposite antioxidant films based on poly (lactic acid) and thymol for active packaging.

Active edible films represent one of the current and future trends in the development of new polymers for selected applications, particularly food packaging. Some biopolymers show excellent performance as carriers for active compounds extracted from natural sources and are able to be released at a controlled rate to packaged food. In this review we aim to present, in a comprehensive way, the most recent advances and updates in this subject, where much research is currently ongoing and new studies are reported very often. This review focuses on innovative biopolymer matrices, their processing to obtain edible active films, and present and future applications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 42631.

/pdf/active-edible-films-current-state-and-future-trends-56h66sfdpu.pdf

Marina Ramos

Papers

Characterization and antimicrobial activity studies of polypropylene films with carvacrol and thymol for active packaging

Gelatin-Based Films and Coatings for Food Packaging Applications

Recent Trends in the Use of Pectin from Agro-Waste Residues as a Natural-Based Biopolymer for Food Packaging Applications.

Development of novel nano-biocomposite antioxidant films based on poly (lactic acid) and thymol for active packaging.

Active edible films: Current state and future trends