Development of aerogel absorbent pads based on plasma-treated citrus pectin/chitosan for chilled pork preservation

Abstract

This study examined the effects of nitrogen and air plasma-modified pectin on its water absorption performance and developed an environmentally friendly absorbent pad for preserving chilled pork through the cross-linking of pectin and chitosan. It has been shown that the treatment duration of air and nitrogen plasma modifies the pectin structure. Specifically, nitrogen plasma treatment for 90 seconds significantly reduces the DE of pectin and increases its hydroxyl, carboxyl, and uronic acid content, thereby enhancing pectin's solubility and hydration capacity. Additionally, the aerogel formed from nitrogen plasma-modified pectin and chitosan exhibits a denser pore size distribution compared to air plasma-modified pectin. Adsorption curve results indicate that nitrogen plasma-treated pectin increases the aerogel's swelling rate by 61.65 % and adsorption rate by 28.33 %. In summary, the aerogel modified with nitrogen plasma-treated pectin effectively reduces TVBN levels in pork during a 12-day storage period, maintaining them below 15 mg/100 g, while the control group's TVBN exceeded this level by the 8th day. This study examines the structural effects of different gas plasma modifications on pectin and explores the feasibility of using chitosan-synthesized aerogels as bioabsorbent pads for meat preservation.