Strawberry fruits are popular all over the world due to their rich organoleptic properties and enormous health benefits. However, it is highly susceptible to postharvest spoilage due to various factors, including moisture loss, nutrient oxidation, and microbial spoilage. Recently, various researchers have studied the effect of chitosan-based flexible films and surface coatings on the shelf life of strawberries.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe strong demand for biological materials in the food industry places chitosan at the forefront of other biopolymers. The present study aims to evaluate the antifungal properties of chitosan extracted from shrimp shell waste () against post-harvest strawberry ( × ) spoilage fungi. The physicochemical characteristics (DD, Mw, and solubility) of extracted chitosan were determined.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFor many years, chitosan has been widely regarded as a promising eco-friendly polymer thanks to its renewability, biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-toxicity, and ease of modification, giving it enormous potential for future development. As a cationic polysaccharide, chitosan exhibits specific physicochemical, biological, and mechanical properties that depend on factors such as its molecular weight and degree of deacetylation. Recently, there has been renewed interest surrounding chitosan derivatives and chitosan-based nanocomposites.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe climatic conditions of the growing regions influence the fruit's microbiological quality and their tolerance to post-harvest pathogens. The present work aims to identify the prevalence of bacterial and fungal strains of strawberries (Fragaria ananassa) in the Gharb and Loukkos regions of Morocco. Thus, to establish a correlation between the microbial load and the climatic conditions of the two targeted regions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe current study aims to develop eco-friendly and economical chitosans with a wide range of applications using organic acids for shrimp shells demineralization. Chitosan samples were extracted from shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris) shells and the demineralization step was performed with three organic acids (citric, acetic, and lactic) and two mineral acids (hydrochloric and sulfuric). The chitosans were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
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