Search

The aim of research was to fabricate a novel indicator by using κ-carrageenan and quince seed mucilage (QSM) hydrogels and red cabbage anthocyanin. The porosity of the hydrogel was controlled using different ratios of κ-carrageenan(C):QSM(Q) (C90:Q10, C70:Q30, and C50:Q50). The hardness of hydrogels decreased from 28.6 ± 0.3 N for C90Q10 to 11.0 ± 1.0 N for C50Q50 sample. However, according to field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis, the C50R50 sample had the best morphology with smooth surface and uniform interconnected porous network. Hydrogen bonding interactions among anthocyanins, QSM, and κ-carrageenan were confirmed by Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The indicator showed a color variation from red to yellow over the pH range of 2-12. Also, the indicator exhibited high sensitivity to ammonia vapors (S RGB  = 115%) and good color stability. The C50QRA indicator was used for monitoring rainbow trout fillet spoilage and revealed a visually-detectable color change from red to green upon detecting total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content produced throughout storage at 4 °C. Generally, the halochromic hydrogel developed in this research can be suggested as a more sensitive and accurate freshness indicator than conventional indicator solid supports., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The aim of this study was to prepare a novel pH-sensitive smart film based on the addition of purple garlic peel extract (PGE) and TiO 2 nanoparticles in a sodium alginate (SA)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix to monitor the freshness of beef. FT-IR spectroscopy revealed the formation of stronger interaction forces between PVA/SA, PGE, and TiO 2 nanoparticles, which showed good compatibility. In addition, the addition of PGE improved the tensile strength and elongation at break of the composite film, especially in different pH environments, and the color response was obvious. The addition of 1% TiO 2 nanoparticles significantly improved the mechanical properties of the film, as well as the light barrier properties of the film. PGE could effectively be uniformly dispersed into the composite film, but it also had a certain slow-release effect on the release of PGE. PGE had high sensitivity under different pH conditions with rich color changes, and the color showed a clear color change from red to yellow-green when the pH increased from 1 to 14. The same change was observed when it was added to the film. In particular, by applying this film to the process of beef preservation, we judged the freshness of beef by monitoring the changes in the TVB-N value and pH value during the storage process of beef and found that the film showed obvious color changes during the storage process of beef, from blue (indicating freshness) to red (indicating non-freshness), and finally to yellow-green (indicating deterioration), which indicated that the color change of the film and the freshness of the beef maintained a highly consistent.

Visual indicator bi-layer films were manufactured incorporating κ-carrageenan, butterfly pea flower anthocyanin, varying Nano‑titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) content and agar for Penaeus chinensis (Chinese white shrimp) freshness detection. The κ-carrageenan-anthocyanin (CA) layer served as indicator, while the TiO 2 -agar (TA) layer functioned as the protective layer to improve the photostability of film. The bi-layer structure was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The TA2-CA film had the best tensile strength with a value of 17.8 MPa and the lowest water vapor permeability (WVP) value of bi-layer films was 2.98 × 10 -7  g.m -1 .h -1 .pa -1 . The bi-layer film protected anthocyanin against exudation when immersed in aqueous solution of varying pH. The TiO 2 particles filled the pores of the protective layer, increasing the opacity from 1.61 up to 4.49 significantly improving the photostability with a consequent slight color change under illumination of UV/visible light. Under UV irradiation, the TA2-CA film had no significant color change with a ΔE value of 4.23. Finally, the TA2-CA films showed an obvious color change from blue to yellow green in the early stages of Penaeus chinensis putrefaction (≤48 h) then the color change and Penaeus chinensis freshness were well correlated (R 2  = 0.8739)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A pH-sensitive intelligent film was prepared using gelatin as base substrate and purple cabbage anthocyanins (PCA) as indicator with the aid of ultrasound. Fourier transforms infrared and X-ray diffraction analysis showed that 600 W ultrasound brought changes to characteristic bands of gelatin and PCA, and flattened diffraction peak around 2θ = 20°. Film prepared with 600 W ultrasound exhibited high tensile strength and elongation at break and showed high transition temperature and surface hydrophobicity by differential scanning calorimetry and contact angle analysis. The incorporation of <0.35 % PCA had no effect on mechanical properties of films, but it improved the antioxidative activity. Films with 0.14 %, 0.21 % and 0.28 % PCA suggested pronounced color difference at pH 5-8, in accordance with the sharp ΔE difference. Films with 0.28 % PCA was applied for monitoring chilled-stored fish quality. It showed visible color change from pink to atrovirens during storage. The difference of ΔE at various days was ≥5 and ΔE highly correlated with total volatile basic nitrogen. Therefore, gelatin along with PCA under appropriate ultrasound treatment could prepare intelligent film to preserve and monitor the quality of chilled-stored fish., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this study, a porphyrin functionalized cotton fiber was prepared and investigated for the visual detection and efficient adsorption of cadmium (Cd 2+ ) ions in aqueous solutions. The pristine cotton fiber was first grafted with poly (3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium salt) (PSMP) via the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP), and subsequently immobilized with 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methy-4-pyridinio)porphyrin tetra(p-toluenesulfonate) (TMPyP), to form the CPT (Cotton-PSMP-TMPyP) material. The CPT was characterized by SEM, FTIR, XPS and elemental analysis, and examined for the detection and adsorption of cadmium ions. The influencing factors such as pH and the initial cadmium ion concentrations on the adsorption performances were investigated. Results showed that the cadmium ion adsorption isotherm was best fitted with the Langmuir isotherm model, with the derived maximum adsorption capacity of 0.8638mmol/g. The thermodynamic study showed the endothermic nature of the adsorption process. In addition, the adsorption kinetics was fast with over 90% of the total cadmium ions adsorbed within 2min. Furthermore, the distinctive color response of the CPT to the cadmium ions in aqueous solutions was clearly displayed. A linear relationship between the light absorbance of CPT-Cd (CPT adsorbed with cadmium ions) and the initial concentrations of cadmium ions was successfully established, which could be used for the fast determination of the cadmium ion concentrations in aqueous solutions., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)