Cyclodextrin-grafted nanoparticles as food preservative carriers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Food Science

Background:

• Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are explored for polymer nanocomposites in food packaging due to their photocatalytic properties.
• Surface modification of TiO2 NPs with cyclodextrins (CDs) enhances their functionality.
• Sorbic acid (SA) and benzoic acid (BA) are common food preservatives with antimicrobial properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To encapsulate SA and BA into CD-grafted TiO2 NPs.
• To assess the inclusion complex formation and release kinetics of these preservatives.
• To evaluate the potential of these nanocomposites for food packaging applications.

Main Methods:

• 1H NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used to study inclusion complex formation between SA, BA, and alpha/beta-cyclodextrins.
• Loading efficiency and release kinetics from CD-grafted NPs were analyzed.
• Characterization of nanoparticle-preservative interactions.

Main Results:

• Lower association constants were observed for beta-cyclodextrin compared to alpha-cyclodextrin.
• Beta-cyclodextrin-grafted NPs exhibited higher loading efficiency than alpha-cyclodextrin-grafted NPs.
• Alpha-cyclodextrin-grafted NPs demonstrated a prolonged and sustained release of sorbic acid.

Conclusions:

• CD-grafted TiO2 NPs can effectively encapsulate food preservatives.
• The choice of cyclodextrin influences loading efficiency and release kinetics.
• Sustained release of SA from alpha-CD-grafted NPs suggests potential for microbial growth inhibition in food packaging.