Congratulations to Taoran Wang and Wusigale (co-first authors) on having their research paper published in Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials. The article, entitled "Polydopamine-coated chitosan hydrogel beads for synthesis and immobilization of silver nanoparticles to simultaneously enhance antimicrobial activity and adsorption kinetics", showcases our recent collaborative project on developing the innovative and multi-functional chitosan-based hydrogel beads with immobilized with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) via polydopamine coating to simultaneously enhance antimicrobial and adsorption activity. The findings from this study demonstrate that AgNPs (2.5 nm) not only significantly improved the adsorption performance of the chitosan hydrogel beads and but also dramatically enhanced their antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative bacteria than Gram-positive bacteria. This work has developed an integrative approach to efficiently control both the microbial and chemical quality of wastewater. Please read the paper here.

Congratulations to Jingyi Xue on having her research paper published in Food Hydrocolloids. The article, entitled "Development of novel biopolymer-based dendritic nanocomplexes for encapsulation of phenolic bioactive compounds: A proof-of-concept study", reports our research findings that demonstrate an innovative strategy to develop dendritic nanoparticles from food biopolymers without using organic solvents or synthetic chemical. The food biopolymers used in this study include phytoglycogen and zein, carbohydrate and protein respectively, both from corn. Antimicrobial phytochemicals are encapsulated into such nanoparticles which exhibited significantly improved bioactivity, including higher antioxidant activity and stronger antibacterial efficacy against foodborne human pathogens. The potential of these nanocomplexes as carriers for lipophilic and phenolic antimicrobial compounds opens up new avenues for nanotechnology enabled approaches to ensure food safety and quality. Please read the article here.

Congratulations to Bai Qu on having her review paper published in Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications, a new Open Access journal companion to the well-established and prestigious journal Carbohydrate Polymers. The article entitled "A review on the preparation and characterization of chitosan-clay nanocomposite films and coatings for food packaging applications", provides an overview of fabrication methods that are specifically applied for the preparation of chitosan-clay nanocomposite films and coatings, and then summarizes the advances made in the most recent five years for their food packaging applications. Please read the article here.

Congratulations to Bai Qu on having her first research paper published in Food Chemistry, a prestigious journal in the field of food science. The article, entitled "Self-assembled caseinate-laponite^® nanocomposites for curcumin delivery", described a novel method to prepare a self-assembled protein-nanoclay system for curcumin delivery. The as-prepared sodium caseinate-laponite (NaCas-LAP) composites were characterized for colloidal properties and encapsulation capabilities, as well as antioxidant activities. Please read the article here.

Congratulations on Erika Fleming on having her new Personal Account article in ES Food and Agroforestry. The articles entitled "Dietary Patterns During National Lockdowns are at Odds with Recommendations for Preventing Morbidity and Mortality of COVID-19" provided a unique perspective to highlight the role that diet plays in both general immune function and specifically with SARS-CoV-2 may lead to better health outcomes globally. In addition, the role that national lockdowns have had in lifestyle changes are discussed, and how these shifts may exacerbate the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19.

Congratulations to Jingyi Xue on having her research paper published in the reputed journal Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces. The article entitled "Chemically modified phytoglycogen: physicochemical characterizations and applications to encapsulate curcumin" aims to chemically modify native phytoglycogen nanoparticles with hydrophobic groups and to characterize their physicochemical properties, as well as to evaluate the application feasibility of modified PG (mPG) nanoparticles as a carrier for hydrophobic bioactive compounds. Please read the article here.