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With plastic packaging posing severe risk on ecosystem, there is a crucial need for the development of sustainable and eco‐friendly packaging materials for food preservation. This work aims to develop cucumber peel extract imbued into dragon fruit peel pectin films for meat packaging. The cucumber peel extract and dragon fruit peel pectin were obtained by via the environmentally benign microwave‐assisted method. Incorporation of cucumber peel extract led to an enhancement in the density and thickness of the pectin thin films. In addition to improving the tensile strength, antioxidant potential, and opacity of the films, the water‐barrier properties were also augmented. Trials on chicken meat indicated lower pH changes, weight loss, and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N) values during the refrigerated storage tenure. Thus, our work paves the path for the design of a sustainable packaging for meat and simultaneously addresses the valorization of fruit peel wastes. Highlights: Dragon fruit peel pectin, cucumber peel extract obtained by microwave method.Peel extract‐imbued pectin thin films were fabricated using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as plasticizer.Addition of peel extract enhanced the density and opacity of films.Films have good tensile strength, water‐barrier, and antioxidant properties.Chicken meat packaging suggested lower pH, weight loss, and TVB‐N values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To design a controlled delivery device for the potent glucocorticoid dexamethasone; smart hydrogels composed of carboxymethyl starch, and sodium alginate are fabricated and exposed to tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) cold plasma treatment using oxygen as an oxidant gas. Surface hydrophobization ensuing from plasma treatment is evidenced from FTIR and water contact angle analyses. It is also observed that the water uptake capacity of TEOS‐plasma modified hydrogel is much lower than the pristine hydrogel. The release studies of dexamethasone illustrated a slower release from TEOS‐plasma treated hydrogel in simulated intestinal fluid that conformed to the oral delivery of the drug to the colon. The preliminary kinetics of drug release demonstrated that TEOS‐plasma influenced the polymer chain relaxation thereby leading to a slower rate of drug release. The cytocompatibility studies on MCF‐7 cells clearly depicted that plasma treatment of the hydrogels does not evoke any detrimental effects on the cellular viability. Lastly, the in vitro degradation studies of the hydrogels in lysozyme solution demonstrated their good degradation behavior. Overall, the findings of this study implied that the TEOS‐plasma modified hydrogel could be explored as potential biomaterial for the oral controlled delivery of dexamethasone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, 5‐fluorouracil (5FU) has been the only chemotherapeutic agent to demonstrate a strong activity against colorectal cancer. However intravenous administration of 5FU mandates the development of an oral controlled delivery system for improved patient compliances. With this rationale, hydrogels comprising polyvinyl alcohol and sodium alginate were crafted and subjected to cold atmospheric plasma treatment by coating with hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) using three different carrier gases viz Ar, He and N2. Surface hydrophobicity ensuing from HMDSO plasma was evident from contact angle goniometry. FT‐IR analyses were affirmative of the effectual deposition of Si−O−Si and Si−CH3 groups on the hydrogel surfaces. Moreover, plasma treatment rendered the hydrogels stiffer and tougher. The plasma‐modified hydrogels displayed lower water uptake capacity in comparison to the pristine one. Drug release was significantly prolonged from the plasma‐treated hydrogels that conformed to the oral delivery of 5FU to colon. Preliminary kinetics assay revealed drug release was predominantly governed by polymer chain relaxation process post‐plasma modification. The Ar/HMDSO‐plasma modified hydrogel was found to be best of the lot for achieving an oral controlled release for 5FU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]