TY - JOUR
T1 - Edible alginate-fungal chitosan coatings as carriers for Lacticaseibacillus casei LC03 and their impact on quality parameters of strawberries during cold storage
AU - Simões, Camila Vilela da Silva
AU - Stamford, Thayza Christina Montenegro
AU - Berger, Lúcia Raquel Ramos
AU - Araújo, Alessandra Silva
AU - Medeiros, José Alberto da Costa
AU - Nogueira, Mariane Cajubá de Britto Lira
AU - Pintado, Maria Manuela Estevez
AU - Salgado, Silvana Magalhães
AU - Lima, Marcos Antonio Barbosa de
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 by the authors.
PY - 2025/1/10
Y1 - 2025/1/10
N2 - This study investigated the efficacy of an innovative edible coating, composed of fungal chitosan and alginate, functionalized with Lacticaseibacillus casei LC03, in both free and microencapsulated forms, to extend the shelf life and enhance the nutritional value of strawberries. L. casei LC03 cells were successfully encapsulated in alginate microparticles (MAL) and further coated with chitosan (MALC), resulting in enhanced protection (cell reduction below 1.4 CFU/mL), viability (8.02 log CFU/mL), and encapsulation efficiencies exceeding 90%. The edible coating with L. casei microencapsulated in alginate and coated with fungal chitosan (CACLM) significantly improved strawberry preservation by maintaining pH (3.16 ± 0.41), titratable acidity (0.94 ± 0.20), moisture (90.74 ± 0.27), and microbial quality, and delayed the decrease in total phenolic compounds (below 40%) during the storage time of strawberries. While coatings with free L. casei (CALF) slightly reduced color parameters (L* value 29.13 ± 2.05), those with chitosan (CACLM) demonstrated lower weight loss (below 6%). Overall, the alginate–chitosan coating, particularly when combined with microencapsulated L. casei, proved effective in maintaining the quality, safety, and nutritional value of strawberries during refrigerated storage, highlighting its potential for developing functional, eco-friendly packaging solutions. This research contributes to the development of sustainable food preservation strategies and functional foods.
AB - This study investigated the efficacy of an innovative edible coating, composed of fungal chitosan and alginate, functionalized with Lacticaseibacillus casei LC03, in both free and microencapsulated forms, to extend the shelf life and enhance the nutritional value of strawberries. L. casei LC03 cells were successfully encapsulated in alginate microparticles (MAL) and further coated with chitosan (MALC), resulting in enhanced protection (cell reduction below 1.4 CFU/mL), viability (8.02 log CFU/mL), and encapsulation efficiencies exceeding 90%. The edible coating with L. casei microencapsulated in alginate and coated with fungal chitosan (CACLM) significantly improved strawberry preservation by maintaining pH (3.16 ± 0.41), titratable acidity (0.94 ± 0.20), moisture (90.74 ± 0.27), and microbial quality, and delayed the decrease in total phenolic compounds (below 40%) during the storage time of strawberries. While coatings with free L. casei (CALF) slightly reduced color parameters (L* value 29.13 ± 2.05), those with chitosan (CACLM) demonstrated lower weight loss (below 6%). Overall, the alginate–chitosan coating, particularly when combined with microencapsulated L. casei, proved effective in maintaining the quality, safety, and nutritional value of strawberries during refrigerated storage, highlighting its potential for developing functional, eco-friendly packaging solutions. This research contributes to the development of sustainable food preservation strategies and functional foods.
KW - Bioactive packaging
KW - Biopolymer
KW - Fruit
KW - Microbial analyses
KW - Physiochemical quality
KW - Probiotic
KW - Self-life
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85216249694&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/foods14020203
DO - 10.3390/foods14020203
M3 - Article
C2 - 39856871
AN - SCOPUS:85216249694
SN - 2304-8158
VL - 14
JO - Foods
JF - Foods
IS - 2
M1 - 203
ER -
