Work

Evaluation of intelligent aerogel indicators composed of red cabbage extract and pectin for monitoring chicken meat freshness

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Intelligent aerogel indicators containing 10, 15, and 20% ( w / v ) pectin and red cabbage extract (RCE) were developed via sol–gel and freeze-drying techniques. Increasing pectin concentration significantly decreased porosity and moisture absorption capacity, while increasing bulk density and textural properties. FT-IR and XRD analyses confirmed hydrogen bonding between RCE and pectin and enhanced crystallinity in RCE-loaded aerogels. Variations in the anthocyanin-pectin ratio significantly influenced the colorimetric response and total color difference (ΔE) ΔE thresholds of RCE-loaded pectin aerogels, effectively monitoring changes in chicken meat freshness during 12 days of storage at 4 °C. ΔE in the RCE-loaded aerogels containing 10% pectin showed strong correlations with total viable count (TVC) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) of chicken meat, which remained significant after controlling for storage time ( p < 0.05). The high ΔE cut-off (25.8) and pronounced color response of the 10% pectin aerogels highlighted their potential for real-time freshness monitoring.

Source: Food Chemistry X

DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2026.104615

Authors: Hadis Shirkhani, Aryou Emamifar, Nafiseh Davati

Institution: Bu-Ali Sina University

Language: English

Topic: Nanocomposite Films for Food Packaging

Subfield: Biomaterials

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,330