Improvement of mechanical and heat-sealing properties of edible chitosan films via addition of gelatin and CO treatment of film-forming solutions.

Glycerol, gelatin and CO were used to prepare chitosan-based packaging films with improved mechanical properties and seal strength. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and dynamic mechanical analysis were conducted; the results were used to explain the mechanical and sealing properties data. Film color was also measured.

Mechanical properties improvement of chitosan films via the use of plasticizer, charge modifying agent and film solution homogenization.

Glycerol, charge modifying agent (NaCl) and high-pressure homogenization were used to prepare chitosan film-forming solution prior to drying to improve mechanical properties of the resulting films. Zeta potential and viscosity of each film solution were measured, while mechanical properties viz. tensile strength and percent elongation of the films were assessed.

Optimum condition of producing crisp osmotic banana using superheated steam puffing.

Background: Puffing can improve textural property of snacks. Nevertheless, high temperature puffing accelerates non-enzymatic browning reactions. The osmotic treatment using sucrose solution potentially retards the browning, but the high amount of sucrose gain causes hard texture.

Effects of ripening stage and steaming time on quality attributes of fat free banana snack obtained from drying process including fluidized bed puffing.

Healthy snacks have increasingly been interested in consumers. Puffing technique is an alternative to produce healthy snacks. Effects of ripening stage of banana and steaming time on quality of banana slices obtained from drying process including fluidized bed puffing were investigated.

Combined effects of drying methods, extract concentration, and film thickness on efficacy of antimicrobial chitosan films.

Unlabelled: An idea of using a suitable drying method to minimize the loss of added antimicrobial agent and, at the same time, to modify the structure, and hence the release characteristics of chitosan films was proposed. Chitosan film-forming solution was incorporated with galangal extract (0% and 1.5% w/w) and formed into films with the thickness of 15 and 30 μm via hot air drying (HD) (40 °C) and low-pressure superheated steam drying (LPSSD) (70 °C, 10 kPa).

Quantitative evaluation of microstructural changes and their relations with some physical characteristics of food during drying.

Unlabelled: Drying is known to affect various quality attributes of a food product, especially its physical properties. However, changes of physical properties or characteristics are generally due to changes of the product microstructure. Nevertheless, not much quantitative information, as opposed to abundant qualitative information, is available to describe in detail relationships between microstructural and physical changes of food undergoing drying.