Liquid paraffin light 69.6% / Almond oil 30% bath oil

Packaging for food products is particularly important to preserve product quality and shelf life. The most used materials for food packaging are plastic, glass, metal, and paper. Plastic films produced based on petroleum are widely used for packaging because they have good mechanical properties and help preserve the characteristics of food. However, environmental concerns are leading the trend towards biopolymers. Films and coatings based on biopolymers have been extensively studied in recent years, as they cause less impact on the environment, can be obtained from renewable sources or by-products, are relatively abundant, have a good coating and film-forming capacity, are biodegradable and have nutritional properties that can be beneficial to human health. Whey protein-based films have demonstrated good mechanical resistance and a good barrier to gases when at low relative humidity levels, in addition to demonstrating an excellent barrier to aromatic compounds and especially oils. The use of whey proteins for films or coatings has been extensively studied, as these proteins are edible, have high nutritional value, and are biodegradable. Thus, the main objective of this document was to review new methodologies to improve the physicochemical properties of whey protein films and coatings. Importance will also be given to the combinations of whey proteins with other polymers and the development of new techniques that allow the manipulation of structures at a molecular level. The controlled release and mass transfer of new biomaterials and the improvement of the design of films and packaging materials with the desired functional properties can increase the quality of the films and, consequently, broaden their applications.

Abstract licence: CC BY

While the chemical composition of vegetable butters and oils has been studied in detail, there is limited knowledge about their mechanisms of action after application on the skin. To understand their dermal effects better, 27 clinical studies evaluating 17 vegetable oils (almond, argan, avocado, borage, coconut, evening primrose, kukui, marula, mustard, neem, olive, rapeseed, sacha inchi, safflower, shea butter, soybean and sunflower oils) were reviewed in this research. The reviewed studies focused on non-affected skin, infant skin, psoriasis, xerosis, UVB-induced erythema, atopic dermatitis, molluscum contagiosum, tungiasis, scars, striae and striae gravidarum. We conclude that in inflammation-affected skin, vegetable oils with a high content of oleic acid, together with the lack of or a low linoleic acid content, may cause additional structural damage of the stratum corneum, while oils high in linoleic acid and saturated fatty acids may express positive effects. Non-affected skin, in contrast, may not react negatively to oils high in oleic acid. However, the frequency and duration of an oil's use must be considered an important factor that may accelerate or enhance the negative effects on the skin's structural integrity.

Abstract licence: CC BY