Exploring the role of packaging materials in preserving antioxidants activities and stress genes stability of refrigerated foods

Authors

  • Nitya Mankal Department of Biotechnology, REVA University, Bengaluru, 560064, India
  • Krishna Badrakiya Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, NG1 4BU, United Kingdom
  • Angela Mayanglambam Department of Molecular Biotechnology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
  • Aishani Chakraborty Department of Biotechnology, REVA University, Bengaluru, 560064, India
  • Senthilkumar Rajagopal Department of Biotechnology, REVA University, Bengaluru, 560064, India; Center for Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, REVA Research Centre, REVA University, Bengaluru, 560064, India
Article ID: 532
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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18686/fnc532

Keywords:

beta-carotene; electrolytes; GSH; lipid peroxidation; packaging materials; stress genes

Abstract

Traditionally, food packaging has relied on materials like plastic containers, newspaper, and ziplock bags. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of antioxidants in food items can vary significantly based on the type of packaging material used, in addition to the temperature and time of storage. This study investigates the stability of antioxidants, lipid peroxidation, protein/lipid composition, electrolyte levels, and stress genes expression in fruits and vegetables under refrigerated conditions (5–6 °C) for specific time intervals using different packaging materials. Grapes and cauliflower were analyzed for their biochemical and molecular stability in perforated ziplock covers, newspapers, and plastic containers at control, day 1, and day 15. Various technical methods were employed to estimate the parameters, including enzymatic activity assays and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis visualized by agarose gel electrophoresis. Antioxidant levels, lipid peroxidation, protein/lipid composition, and electrolyte stability were significantly altered by packaging materials over time, for instance, after 15 days of refrigeration, the vitamin C content of cauliflower and grapes reduced by 40% in the ziplock cover group compared with the control, while the glutathione (GSH) content of cauliflower in the ziplock cover decreased by 20% (0.7 ± 0.08 to 0.5 ± 0.05). The GSH content of grapes in the ziplock cover decreased by ~33% (1.8 to 1.2 µg/mg protein) compared with the control, while newspaper and plastic groups showed very minimal reductions (~5%). Ziplock covers notably showed the highest detrimental impact on all parameters compared to newspapers and plastic containers. Stress genes expression was also significantly downregulated, particularly in ziplock packaging, indicating its adverse effect on metabolic processes and gene regulation. Ziplock covers have a pronounced negative effect on the stability of antioxidants, biochemical components, and stress genes expression in refrigerated fruits and vegetables. The findings suggest that none of the tested packaging materials effectively retain nutritional and molecular stability under these conditions, highlighting the need for improved packaging solutions.

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Published

2025-10-31

How to Cite

Mankal, N., Badrakiya, K., Mayanglambam, A., Chakraborty, A., & Rajagopal, S. (2025). Exploring the role of packaging materials in preserving antioxidants activities and stress genes stability of refrigerated foods. Food Nutrition Chemistry, 3(4), 532. https://doi.org/10.18686/fnc532

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Vol. 3 No. 4 (2025)

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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