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dr Roberto Castro Munoz
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- Profesor uczelni ze stop. nauk. dr at Department of Sanitary Engineering
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total: 69
Catalog Publications
Year 2025
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A review on hydrophobic electrospun nanofibers-based materials and membranes for water treatment: Challenges, outlook, and stability
PublicationMembrane technology is well recognized as a dependable means of supplementing the availability of potable water through processes such as water purification and desalination. Electrospun nanofiber membranes have garnered significant attention because of their advantageous features, including a greater specific surface area, increased porosity, reduced thickness, and popularity. Consequently, ENMs have emerged as an up-and-coming...
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Development of an asymmetric cellulose acetate-ionic liquid P6,6,6,14[PHOS] gel membrane for the perstraction of succinic acid from a model fermentation solution of yarrovia lipolytica
PublicationThis study introduces a novel approach to separate succinic acid (SA) from fermentation mixtures using an asymmetric membrane based on the gelation of the ionic liquid [P6,6,6,14][PHOS] coated with two layers of cellulose acetate. The membrane was designed to explore the synergistic effect of polymer-ionic liquid interfaces according to the solution-diffusion theory. The gelation of the ionic liquid was achieved using 12-hydroxystearic...
Year 2024
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A review on fungal-based biopesticides and biofertilizers production
PublicationThe escalating use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides to boost crop production has led to the depletion of natural resources, contamination of water sources, and environmental crises. In response, the scientific community is exploring eco-friendly alternatives, such as fungal-based biofertilizers and biopesticides, which have proven effectiveness in enhancing plant health and growth while sustainably managing plant diseases...
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Alphitobius diaperinus larvae (lesser mealworm) as human food – An approval of the European Commission – A critical review
PublicationDue to the increasing threat of climate change and the need for sustainable food sources, human consumption of edible insects or entomophagy has gained considerable attention globally. The larvae of Alphitobius diaperinus Panzer (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), also known as the lesser mealworm, have been identified as a promising candidate for mass-rearing as a food source based the on evaluation on several aspects such as the production...
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Arabinoxylans: A review on protocols for their recovery, functionalities and roles in food formulations
PublicationArabinoxylans (AXs) are compounds with high nutritional value and applicability, including prebiotics or supplementary ingredients, in food manufacturing industries. Unfortunately, the recovery of AXs may require advanced separation and integrated strategies. Here, an analysis of the emerging techniques to extract AXs from cereals and their by-products is discussed. This review covers distinct methods implemented over the last...
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Bodybuilders and high-level meat consumers’ behavior towards rabbit, beef, chicken, turkey, and lamb meat: A comparative review
PublicationIn bodybuilders’ diets, protein plays a crucial role in supporting muscle growth and repairing damaged muscle tissue. These individuals meet their protein needs by combining dietary sources with supplements. Animal-based proteins are often preferred over plant-based proteins because they are believed to better support muscle protein synthesis. This review explores the meat consumption patterns of bodybuilders and high-level meat...
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Brewery spent grain valorization through fermentation: Targeting biohydrogen, carboxylic acids and methane production
PublicationThis study investigated three different fermentation approaches to explore the potential for producing biohydrogen, carboxylic acids, and methane from hydrolysates of thermally dilute acid pretreated brewer's spent grains (BSG). Initially, the research focused on maximizing the volumetric hydrogen production rate (HPR) in the continuous dark fermentation (DF) of BSG hydrolysates by varying the hydraulic retention time (HRT). The...
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Composite 2D Material-Based Pervaporation Membranes for Liquid Separation: A Review
PublicationToday, chemistry and nanotechnology cover molecular separations in liquid and gas states by aiding in the design of new nano-sized materials. In this regard, the synthesis and application of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials are current fields of research in which structurally defined 2D materials are being used in membrane separation either in self-standing membranes or composites with polymer phases. For instance, pervaporation...
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Current advances in membrane processing of wines: A comprehensive review
PublicationBackground Membrane-based operations, especially pressure-driven membrane operations, are today well-established procedures for various applications in the wine industry thanks to their intrinsic properties and undoubted advantages over traditional methods. Emerging membrane processes, such as pervaporation, electrodialysis and osmotic distillation, forward osmosis, membrane contactors, offer new and interesting perspectives to...
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Deep eutectic solvents for the food industry: extraction, processing, analysis, and packaging applications – a review
PublicationFood factories seek the application of natural products, green feedstock and eco-friendly processes, which minimally affect the properties of the food item and products. Today, water and conventional polar solvents are used in many areas of food science and technology. As modern chemistry evolves, new green items for building eco-friendly processes are being developed. This is the case of deep eutectic solvents (DESs), named the...
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Defected Ag/Cu-MOF as a modifier of polyethersulfone membranes for enhancing permeability, antifouling properties and heavy metal and dye pollutant removal
PublicationIn this study, a novel bimetallic metal-organic framework (MOF) i.e. Ag/Cu-MOF was synthesized using a solvothermal method and later incorporated at different concentrations (0.1–2 wt%) using a phase inversion method for modification and antifouling property improvement of polyethersulfone (PES) membranes. The resulting Ag/Cu-MOF characteristics were investigated using different techniques, such as FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM and EDX. The...
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Edible black ant Smith (Carebara vidua) as human food – A systematic review
PublicationMeeting food security is one of the major global challenges to ensure sufficient supply of food for current and future generations, considering increasing population growth and climate change issues. Consequently, the consumption of edible insects as an alternative food source has recently gained global attention for combating global food insecurity. The present review aims to provide information on the recent progress in consumption...
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Edible dragonflies and damselflies (order Odonata) as human food – A comprehensive review
PublicationThe rapid growth of the human population leads to a big concern about the food y and demand worldwide. However, due to the reduction in global arable land area, humans need to find alternative food sources to fulfil their needs. Consequently, edible insects have been identified as a promising solution to ameliorate food security and increase global nutrition. Among more than 2,100 identified edible insect species, dragonflies and...
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Edible Lepidoptera as human foods – a comprehensive review
PublicationAs the global population continues to grow, traditional protein sources like meat and fish are becoming increasingly unsustainable due to their environmental impact. Edible insects, on the other hand, are highly nutritious, require minimal resources to produce, and emit significantly fewer greenhouse gases than traditional livestock. Lepidoptera, one of the most diverse insect orders, contains some popular edible species that have...
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Enhancing the bioconversion rate and end products of black soldier fly (BSF) treatment – A comprehensive review
PublicationFood security remains a pressing concern in the face of an increasing world population and environmental challenges. As climate change, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity continue to impact agricultural productivity, traditional livestock farming faces limitations in meeting the growing global demand for meat and dairy products. In this context, black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) have emerged as a promising alternative for sustainable...
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Enhancing the Separation Performance of Chitosan Membranes Through the Blending with Deep Eutectic Solvents for the Pervaporation of Polar/Non-Polar Organic Mixtures
PublicationThis study explores the development of chitosan-based membranes blended with three distinct deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for the pervaporation separation of methanol and methyl tert-butyl ether. DESs were selected for their eco-friendly properties and their potential to enhance membrane performance. The chitosan (CS) membranes, both crosslinked and non-crosslinked, were characterized in terms of morphology, chemical composition,...
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Extraction pathways and purification strategies towards carminic acid as natural-based food colorant: A comprehensive review
PublicationAs a current trend of fabricating healthier products, food manufacturing companies seek for natural-based food colorant aiming to replace the synthetic ones, which apart from meeting sensorial and organoleptic aspects, they can also act as health promoters offering additional added value. Carminic acid is a natural based food colorant typically found in several insect taxa. However, there are current approaches which pursue the...
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Fabrication of the cross-linked PVA/TiO2/C nanocomposite membrane for alkaline direct methanol fuel cells
PublicationA crosslinked Poly(vinyl alcohol) based composite membrane was developed through a phase inversion process for use in alkaline direct methanol fuel cells (ADMFCs). The titanium dioxide (TiO2) and carbon nanoparticles (NPs) have been incorporated into the PVA polymer matrix to improve the mechanical and thermal properties. The membrane samples were further modified with maleic acid, a carboxylic acid acting as the cross-linker,...
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Facilitated water transport in composite reduced graphene oxide pervaporation membranes for ethanol upgrading
PublicationHigh purity ethanol is one of the most sought-after renewable energy sources. However, standard production methods yield ethanol of insufficient quality. Membrane processes such as pervaporation are recognized as a viable method for upgrading ethanol. Their performance and selectivity depend solely on membrane employed. Hydrophilic polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) membranes are used industrially for this purpose, but there is a trade-off...
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Future opportunities for products derived from black soldier fly (BSF) treatment as animal feed and fertilizer - A systematic review
PublicationThe pursuit of novel food products with good nutritional value for both direct and indirect human consumption is crucial. Given the nutritional benefits of insects and the sustainability of this sort of farming, using them as food for farmed animals is a promising alternative. In this regard, the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) is most capable of efficiently converting a wide variety of organic materials, from food waste...
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Gelatin-chitosan interactions in edible films and coatings doped with plant extracts for biopreservation of fresh tuna fish products: A review
PublicationThe preservation of tuna fish products, which are extremely perishable seafood items, is a substantial challenge due to their instantaneous spoilage caused by microbial development and oxidative degradation. The current review explores the potential of employing chitosan-gelatin-based edible films and coatings, which are enriched with plant extracts, as a sustainable method to prolong the shelf life of tuna fish products. The article...
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Graphene oxide aerogels for adsorptive separation of aromatic hydrocarbons and cycloalkanes
PublicationEfficient separation of benzene and cyclohexane has critical importance for production of commodity chemicals, and is one of the most challenging separations in the industry. Physisorption by recyclable, porous solids has a significant potential in substituting energy-intensive azeotropic or extractive distillation methods. Reduced graphene oxide aerogels (rGOAs) are emerging materials holding great promise for connecting unique...
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How to make membrane distillation greener? A review on environmentally friendly and sustainable aspects
PublicationThere is an urgent need for the development of new water resources in order to solve the problem of the world’s growing demand for clean water. Membrane distillation (MD) is a promising alternative to conventional seawater desalination. Although MD itself is often defined as sustainable desalination technology, there are many aspects within the membrane manufacture and process operation that make it far from being green. For instance,...
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Impact of high-pressure processing on the bioactive compounds of milk - A comprehensive review
PublicationHigh-pressure processing (HPP) is a promising alternative to thermal pasteurization. Recent studies highlighted the effectivity of HPP (400–600 MPa and exposure times of 1–5 min) in reducing pathogenic microflora for up to 5 logs. Analysis of modern scientific sources has shown that pressure affects the main components of milk including fat globules, lactose, casein micelles. The behavior of whey proteins under HPP is very important...
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Implementing fermentation technology for comprehensive valorisation of seafood processing by-products: A critical review on recovering valuable nutrients and enhancing utilisation
PublicationFermentation technology is a biorefining tool that has been used in various industrial processes to recover valuable nutrients from different side streams. One promising application of this technique is in the reclamation of nutritional components from seafood side streams. Seafood processing generates significant amounts of waste, including heads, shells, and other side streams. These side streams contain high quantities of valued...
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Investigating the sustainability, utilisation, consumption and conservation of sea mammals – A systematic review
PublicationAlmost 80 % of the oceans, especially the Arctic and Subarctic are primarily inhabited by marine mammals. Marine species depend mostly on sea ice for food, raising their young ones and safeguarding themselves from predators. Consumption of marine mammals has always been recommended as healthy, but the truth is that it can be detrimental for human health because of sea water pollution from trash and chemicals. This systematic review...
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Iron (Magnetite) Nanoparticle-Assisted Dark Fermentation Process for Continuous Hydrogen Production from Rice Straw Hydrolysate
PublicationThe use of metal nanoparticles (NPs) to enhance hydrogen production in dark fermentation (DF) has become a pioneering field of interest. In particular, iron-based nanoparticles (FeNPs) play a pivotal role in enhancing the activity of metalloenzymes and optimizing feedstock utilization, resulting in improved hydrogen production. This study investigated the effect of FeNPs (magnetite) supplementation at three different concentrations...
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Mangiferin: A comprehensive review on its extraction, purification and uses in food systems
PublicationWith the target of fabricating healthier products, food manufacturing companies look for natural-based nutraceuticals that can potentially improve the physicochemical properties of food systems while being nutritive to the consumer and providing additional health benefits (biological activities). In this regard, Mangiferin joins all these requirements as a potential nutraceutical, which is typically contained in Mangifera indica...
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MXene-based composites for capacitive deionization – The advantages, progress, and their role in desalination - A review
PublicationMXenes, a novel large family of 2D transition metal carbides, carbonitrides and nitrides are currently a “hot topic” in science due to their several fascinating physical and chemical properties. It follows from a rich diversity of their elemental compositions and chemical functionalities. MXenes can form composites with many substances, including polymers or metal oxides, which allows to effective “tune” MXene characteristics to...
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Nanofiltration-Assisted Concentration Processes of Phenolic Fractions and Carotenoids from Natural Food Matrices
PublicationIn new food formulations, carotenoids and phenolic compounds are likely to be the most sought after food ingredients according to their bioactivity, nutraceutical, nutritional value, and compatibility properties once incorporated into food formulations. Such solutes are naturally present in many plant-based sources, and some portions are directly consumed when enriching food products and formulations; however, some portions, which...
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Nutritional Characterization of Whole Mangosteen Pulp with Seeds and Its Application as an Alternate Functional Ingredient in Crackers
PublicationMangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) fruits are high in nutrients and phytochemical compounds. The use of fresh whole mangosteen fruit pulp, including the seeds (MFS), instead of flour and sugar in crackers not only enhances the functional nutritional and medicinal benefits for consumers but also adds value to the products. The study investigated the nutritional value of MFS and then employed MFS to formulate MFS-based crackers...
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Polyether-block-amide PEBA membranes for gas separation and pervaporation; current design and applications
PublicationPolyether-block-amide (PEBA) membranes have attracted considerable attention for their exceptional efficacy in gas separation and pervaporation processes. This comprehensive review delves into the precise definition, distinguishing characteristics, and diverse applications of PEBA membranes over the past five years. A primary research objective focuses on enhancing gas separation efficiency, primarily through augmenting membrane...
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Progress in module design for membrane distillation
PublicationThere have been tremendous advances in membrane distillation (MD) since the concept was introduced in 1961: new membrane designs and process configurations have emerged, and its commercial viability has been evaluated in several pilot-scale studies. However, its high energy consumption has hindered its commercialization. One of the most promising ways to overcome this obstacle is to develop more energy-efficient membrane modules....
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Recent advances in reinforced bioplastics for food packaging – A critical review
PublicationRecently, diversifying the material, method, and application in food packaging has been massively developed to find more environment-friendly materials. However, the mechanical and barrier properties of the bioplastics are major hurdles to expansion in commercial realization. The compositional variation with the inclusion of different fillers could resolve the lacking performance of the bioplastic. This review summarizes the various...
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Separation of C6 hydrocarbons on sodium dithionite reduced graphene oxide aerogels
PublicationThe ability of reduced graphene oxide aerogels (rGOAs) for challenging gas-phase separation was investigated with hexane isomers and benzene (C6 hydrocarbons) using inverse gas chromatography (IGC). For the first, rGOAs were synthesized with sodium dithionite (DTN) as a reductant. Experiments revealed that the most optimal DTN to graphene oxide mass ratio was 2:1, resulting in the highest specific surface area of 432.3 m2 g−1 and...
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Solid and liquid fractionation of sugarcane and Agave bagasse during ozonolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis: Impact on biohydrogen and biogas production
PublicationSustainable and cost-efficient lignocellulosic biomass-to-energy bioprocesses require assessing the main components released during biomass fractionation. This study assessed the mesophilic biochemical potential of biohydrogen (BHP) and methane production (BMP) from sugarcane bagasse (SCB) and cooked (CAB) and uncooked (UAB) Agave bagasse. A systematic comparative analysis was performed for the liquid and solid fractions derived...
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The role of microbial coagulants on the physicochemical, proteolysis, microstructure and sensory properties of low-fat Edam cheese manufactured from ultrafiltered buffalo milk
PublicationThis work investigates the influence of using microbial coagulants, including Rhizomucor miehei (MCR) protease and Cryphonectria parasitica (MCC) protease, on the quality characteristics of low-fat Edam cheese made from ultrafiltered buffalo milk (LFUE). Concurrently, a benchmark with calf rennet (CR) has been also performed. Throughout a 90-day ripening period, the cheeses were assessed for their physicochemical features, proteolysis,...
Year 2023
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A Comprehensive Review of Phytonutrients as a Dietary Therapy for Obesity
PublicationObesity is a complex medical condition mainly caused by eating habits, genetics, lifestyle, and medicine. The present study deals with traditional diets like the Mediterranean diet, Nordic diet, African Heritage diet, Asian diet, and DASH, as these are considered to be sustainable diets for curing obesity. However, the bioavailability of phytonutrients consumed in the diet may vary, depending on several factors such as digestion...
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A comprehensive review on Ginger (Zingiber officinale) as a potential source of nutraceuticals for food formulations: Towards the polishing of gingerol and other present biomolecules
PublicationCurrently, ginger is one the most consumed plants when dealing with the treatments of various illnesses. So far, it is known that various biologically active molecules, such as gingerols, shogaols and zingerone, among others, are the main responsible for specific biological activities, opening a new window for its utilization as a nutraceutical in foods. In pioneering extraction processes, solvent extraction has been initially...
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A critical review on electrospun membranes containing 2D materials for seawater desalination
PublicationElectrospun nanofibers are a cutting-edge class of membranes which have been applied in several molecular separations. These membranes can be well designed and tailored due to the versatility of the electrospinning process. Eminently, electrospun membranes, once implemented in membrane processes, are an alternative in removing salts and some other minerals from water, so-called desalination, for producing drinking water. Such membranes...
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A Perspective on Missing Aspects in Ongoing Purification Research towards Melissa officinalis
PublicationMelissa officinalis L. is a medicinal plant used worldwide for ethno-medical purposes. Today, it is grown everywhere; while it is known to originate from Southern Europe, it is now found around the world, from North America to New Zealand. The biological properties of this medicinal plant are mainly related to its high content of phytochemical (bioactive) compounds, such as flavonoids, polyphenolic compounds, aldehydes, glycosides...
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An air-assisted dispersive liquid phase microextraction method based on a hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvent for the extraction and preconcentration of melamine from milk and milk-based products
PublicationIn the current research, a fast and sustainable air-assisted hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvent-based dispersive liquid phase microextraction followed by UV–Vis spectrophotometry measurements was optimized for the extraction and determination of melamine in milk and milk-based products. The central composite design was applied for the optimization of factors affecting the recovery of melamine. Quantitative extraction of...
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An overview of fermentation in the food industry - looking back from a new perspective
PublicationFermentation is thought to be born in the Fertile Crescent, and since then, almost every culture has integrated fermented foods into their dietary habits. Originally used to preserve foods, fermentation is now applied to improve their physicochemical, sensory, nutritional, and safety attributes. Fermented dairy, alcoholic beverages like wine and beer, fermented vegetables, fruits, and meats are all highly valuable due to their...
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Attenuation of Hyperglycemia in Diabetic Rats Assisted by Immobilized Probiotic in Sodium Alginate
PublicationDiabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) is the most common chronic disease worldwide, characterized mainly by increased glucose concentration in the blood and affecting several organs’ functionality. The daily consumption of probiotic bacteria can help control diabetes and reduce the damage caused. Cell immobilization techniques are a powerful tool that provides physical cell protection to such probiotic bacteria against gastrointestinal...
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Chemically reduced graphene oxide based aerogels - Insight on the surface and textural functionalities dependent on handling the synthesis factors
PublicationEfficient adjusting of reduced graphene oxide aerogels properties requires information about experimental factor-aerogel property relationship. In this work, the reduced graphene oxide aerogels surface and textural functionalities in relation to precursor concentration, gelation time and hydrogel freezing temperature were studied in detail, with the use of dynamic adsorption method of gaseous organic probes and experimental design....
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Chitosan-based electrospun nanofibers for encapsulating food bioactive ingredients: A review
PublicationToday, society has been more aware of healthy food products and related items containing bioactive compounds, which potentially contribute to human health. Unfortunately, the long-term stability and bioactivity of biologically active compounds against environmental factors compromise their target and effective action. In this way, lab-designed vehicles, such as nanoparticles and nanofibers, provide enough properties for their preservation...
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Deep eutectic solvents – Ideal solution for clean air or hidden danger?
PublicationThe industrial sector is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gases, due to its excessive energy consumption to meet the rapidly growing demand for energy-intensive products. The use of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) has been studied extensively in order to cope with these harmful gases, but their usage can be an issue in respect to ecological reasons. Do deep eutectic solvents harm the atmosphere? Yes, these solvents...
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Emerging Processes for Sustainable Processing of Food Ingredients and Products
PublicationIn recent decades, traditional food processing processes, such as homogenization, pasteurization, canning, drying, and smoking, among others, have been successfully applied to obtain, to some extent, acceptable food items. However, with the increasing food demand, as a consequence of the growing population worldwide, new, tunable, and enriched food products are demanded, requiring the implementation of emerging technologies in...
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Feasibility Study of Biohydrogen Production from Acid Cheese Whey via Lactate-Driven Dark Fermentation
PublicationThe high loading of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) present in cheese whey still limits its use as hydrogen feedstock. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of producing hydrogen from acid cheese whey via lactate-driven dark fermentation (LD-DF). Mesophilic batch fermentations were performed with delipidated acid cheese whey at a fixed pH of 5.8 and driven by an acidogenic bacterial culture containing LAB and lactate-oxidizing...
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Maillard-reaction (glycation) of biopolymeric packaging films; principles, mechanisms, food applications
PublicationBackground The biodegradable, biocompatible, sustainable, and renewable nature of biomaterials has led to increased interest in developing biopolymeric food packaging films (BFPFs) with green ingredients and strategies. To enhance the performance of these films, biopolymer molecules can be modified or combined with additives like nanomaterials, cross-linkers, bioactive compounds, and other polymers, particularly with Maillard-reaction...
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