Non-porous materials like cellulose and starch can be extracted from agro- industrial wastes and incorporated with nanoparticles for effective biotechnological purposes. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNps), silver-cellulose nanoparticles (AgNps-C) and silver-starch nanoparticles (AgNps-S) were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to identify viable biomolecules involved in capping and active stabilization of AgNps. Average sizes and morphologies of AgNps, AgNps-C and AgNps-S were further analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the percentage composition of each element was investigated by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Antimicrobial activity of the synthesized AgNPs-C and AgNPs-S was tested against multiple antibiotic resistance microorganisms isolated from fish and meat. Zones of inhibition displayed by AgNPs-C and AgNPs-S ranged from 8.00 to 13.30 mm and 5.00 to 10.30 mm, respectively. The Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for AgNPs-C and AgNPS-S ranged from 125 µg/mL to 500 µg/mL and 500 µg/mL to 1000 µg/mL, respectively. AgNPS-S and AgNPs-C inhibited the growth of microorganisms associated with spoilage of fish and meat. The bio-applications of AgNP –C and AgNP-S can be exploited in food industries as preservative agent or incorporated to packaging materials to elongate the shelf life of food products and reduce the side effects attributed to chemical preservative agents.

Pomegranate has been recently considered as a significant fruit for human health and demanded year-long apart from two-month standard harvest period. To extend market supply durations over longer periods, various methods and treatments should be applied to pomegranates to preserve quality parameters throughout different storage durations. The present study was conducted at cold storages of ÇOMÜ Agricultural Faculty to investigate the effects of 1-Methylcyclopropane (1-MCP) and MAP (LDPE, 20 mµ) treatments on quality attributes of ‘Hicaz’ pomegranate cultivar. Experimental materials were treated with two different doses (625 and 1250 ppb) of 1-MCP alone and combined with MAP (625 ppb + MAP and 1250 ppb + MAP) and stored at 3 different storage durations (40, 80 and 120 days). All fruits, including control group, were stored at 6.5-7.5°C temperature and 85-90% relative humidity. At the end of each storage period, fruits were subjected to weight loss (%), Total soluble solids (TSS) content (%), titratable total acidity (TTA) (%g), pH, grain color (a value), decay ratio (%) analyses and assessments were performed for these quality and biochemical characteristics. Both Doses of 1-MCP alone and combined with MAP treatments were found to be more efficient in decelerating the adverse effects on rotting, perishes and other quality parameters, however there were not significant differences between two doses of 1-MCP. Therefore, MAP or 625 ppb 1-MCP treatments alone or combined with MAP treatments can be recommended for better preservation of quality parameter throughout the storage of pomegranates.

The objective of this work was to determine the effects of UV-C and chitosan coatings, alone or in conjunction, on the quality of strawberry fruit during storage. The treated fruits were examined for weight loss, respiration rate, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid contents, total anthocyanins, total phenolic contents, decay incidence and sensory analysis of strawberry fruit were investigated during cold storage 1±0.5°C and 90±5% RH for 15 days. The result showed that chitosan coating with UV-C irradiation could further reduce decay incidence of strawberry fruit, restrain increase of respiration rate and weight loss of strawberry fruit compared to other treatments. Moreover, the total anthocyanins and total phenolic contents were maintained at higher level, and the decrease of ascorbic acid was restricted during storage period. Likewise, sensory analysis results also showed the effectiveness of UV-C + chitosan treatment by retaining the quality of strawberry fruit. Control and individual UV-C treatment had similar effects on respiration rate and weight loss. The results showed that UV-C + chitosan treatment can be an effective method for enhancing the phytochemical content and delaying fruit senescence of strawberry fruit during cold storage.