How alginate properties influence in situ internal gelation in crosslinked alginate microcapsules (CLAMs) formed by spray drying.

Alginates gel rapidly under ambient conditions and have widely documented potential to form protective matrices for sensitive bioactive cargo. Most commonly, alginate gelation occurs via calcium mediated electrostatic crosslinks between the linear polyuronic acid polymers. A recent breakthrough to form crosslinked alginate microcapsules (CLAMs) by in situ gelation during spray drying ("CLAMs process") has demonstrated applications in protection and controlled delivery of bioactives in food, cosmetics, and agriculture.

Chelator Regulation of Calcium Availability to Enable Spray-Dry Microencapsulation in Cross-Linked Alginates.

A recently patented one-step cross-linked alginate microencapsulation (CLAM) by spray-drying (i.e., the UC Davis CLAMs technology) can overcome the high cost of scale-up that limits commercial applications.

Immobilization of chymotrypsin on hierarchical nylon 6,6 nanofiber improves enzyme performance.

Immobilized enzymes enable advances in bioprocessing efficiency and bioactive packaging. Enzyme immobilization onto macroscale solid supports is often limited by low protein loading, inadequate access to substrate, and non-ideal orientation to the solid support; immobilization on nanomaterials has improved activity retention, protein loading, and enabled improved performance in extreme environments, yet has practical limitations including handling, recovery. This work describes the immobilization of chymotrypsin to nylon 6,6 in two formats: electrospun nanofibers and planar films.

Inactivation of Salmonella on Sprouting Seeds Using a Spontaneous Carvacrol Nanoemulsion Acidified with Organic Acids.

Over the past decade, demand has increased for natural, minimally processed produce, including sprout-based products. Sanitization with 20,000 ppm of calcium hypochlorite is currently recommended for all sprouting seeds before germination to limit sprout-related foodborne outbreaks. A potentially promising disinfectant as an alternative to calcium hypochlorite is acidified spontaneous essential oil nanoemulsions.

Short communication: Effect of active food packaging materials on fluid milk quality and shelf life.

Active packaging, in which active agents are embedded into or on the surface of food packaging materials, can enhance the nutritive value, economics, and stability of food, as well as enable in-package processing. In one embodiment of active food packaging, lactase was covalently immobilized onto packaging films for in-package lactose hydrolysis. In prior work, lactase was covalently bound to low-density polyethylene using polyethyleneimine and glutaraldehyde cross-linkers to form the packaging film.

Layer by layer assembly of a biocatalytic packaging film: lactase covalently bound to low-density polyethylene.

Active packaging is utilized to overcome limitations of traditional processing to enhance the health, safety, economics, and shelf life of foods. Active packaging employs active components to interact with food constituents to give a desired effect. Herein we describe the development of an active package in which lactase is covalently attached to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) for in-package production of lactose-free dairy products.