Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40509496›Full record

ArticleFoods (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Ultrasound-Enhanced Ionotropic Gelation of Pectin for Lemon Essential Oil Encapsulation: Morphological Characterization and Application in Fresh-Cut Apple Preservation.

Rofia Djerri, Salah Merniz, Maria D'Elia, Nadjwa Aissani, Aicha Khemili, Mohamed Abou Mustapha, Luca Rastrelli, Louiza Himed

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Enrichment of Apple-Plum Fruit Mousse with Vitamin DInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Rofia DjerriThe Biotechnology and Food Quality Research Laboratory (BIOQUAL), INATAA, University of the Brothers Mentouri-Constantine 1, Constantine 25017, Algeria.
Salah MernizInstitute of Industrial Hygiene and Safety, University Batna 2, Batna 05078, Algeria.ORCID 0000-0002-2037-0485
Maria D'EliaNational Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy.ORCID 0009-0009-5315-3055
Nadjwa AissaniFaculty of Life and Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Water, Environment and Health, Abbes Laghrour University, Khenchela 40000, Algeria.
Aicha KhemiliFaculty of Life and Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Water, Environment and Health, Abbes Laghrour University, Khenchela 40000, Algeria.ORCID 0000-0001-5003-3984
Mohamed Abou MustaphaCentre de Recherche Scientifique et Technique en Analyses Physico-chimiques CRAPC, BP 384, Bou-Ismail, Tipaza 42004, Algeria.
Luca RastrelliNational Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-0718-5450
Louiza HimedThe Biotechnology and Food Quality Research Laboratory (BIOQUAL), INATAA, University of the Brothers Mentouri-Constantine 1, Constantine 25017, Algeria.

Funding

Project title "National Biodiversity Future Center-NBFC". CUP: D43C22001260001,
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The growing demand for natural preservatives in the food industry has highlighted the importance of essential oils (EOs), despite their limitations related to volatility and oxidative instability. This study addresses these challenges by developing pectin-based microcapsules for encapsulating lemon essential oil (LEO) using ultrasound-assisted ionotropic gelation. The EO, extracted from Citrus limon (Eureka variety), exhibited a high limonene content (56.18%) and demonstrated significant antioxidant (DPPH IC50: 28.43 ± 0.14 µg/mL; ABTS IC50: 35.01 ± 0.11 µg/mL) and antifungal activities, particularly against A. niger and Botrytis spp. Encapsulation efficiency improved to 82.3% with ultrasound pretreatment, and SEM imaging confirmed spherical, uniform capsules. When applied to fresh-cut apples, LEO-loaded capsules significantly reduced browning (browning score: 1.2 ± 0.3 vs. 2.8 ± 0.2 in control), microbial load (4.9 ± 0.2 vs. 6.5 ± 0.4 log CFU/g), and weight loss (4.2% vs. 6.4%) after 10 days of storage at 4 °C. These results underscore the potential of ultrasound-enhanced pectin encapsulation for improving EO stability and efficacy in food preservation systems.

Indexed as

antioxidant and antifungal activityfresh-cut apple preservationlemon essential oilpectin microcapsulesultrasound-assisted encapsulation

Identifiers

PMID40509496
PMCPMC12154024

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.