Superabsorbent, antibacterial, and antioxidant nanocellulose aerogels: Preparation, characterization, and application in beef preservation

Herein, we prepared a new aerogel-based preservation pad using soy hull nanocellulose (SHNC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), whey protein isolate (WPI), and cinnamon essential oil (CEO) as raw materials. The physicochemicals of the aerogel preservation pads were studied, and their effects on beef preservation were evaluated. The results showed that the aerogel monomers were crosslinked by hydrogen, ester bonds, and electrostatic interactions in the aerogels, and there were three-dimensional pores in the aerogels. Meanwhile, SHNC/PVA/WPI/CEO-3 (aerogel prepared using 2 g of SHNC) exhibited excellent mechanical properties (elongation: 251 %; tensile strength: 33.97 MPa) and super-high absorption performance. Additionally, the aerogel displayed excellent antioxidant and antibacterial properties (83.74 %). The preservation experiment showed that, at 4 °C, the aerogel preservation pad inhibited the growth and reproduction of bacteria on the surface of beef, inhibited lipid oxidation, effectively preserved the color of beef, and extended the shelf life of beef from 4 to 12 days.