Development of a novel ethylene scavenger made up of pumice and potassium permanganate and its effect on preservation quality of avocados

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to develop a novel ethylene scavenger by combining pumice and potassium permanganate (KMnO 4 ) to preserve fruit and vegetables. The study showed that pumice with smaller particle sizes and lower relative humidity (RH) were favorable to ethylene adsorption. The optimal ratio was 1 g of pumice (<5 μm) to 100 mg of KMnO 4 with approximately 620 μL/g of ethylene adsorption capacity within 24 h at lab room RH (30%). Further, this novel ethylene scavenger restricted the ethylene production rate of avocados to 0 μL/kg/h for nine days, and simultaneously, the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) production rate remained below 25 mL/kg/h. In addition, the firmness of avocados preserved by the novel ethylene scavenger was 4.04 × 10 5 N/m 2 on the 9th d. The results confirmed that the shelf life of avocados was extended by one week at 25 °C under the preservation of the novel ethylene scavenger. • Smaller particle size and lower relative humidity favored ethylene removal. • Pumice physically adsorbed ethylene and KMnO 4 oxidized ethylene. • Ethylene and CO 2 production rate were restricted by the ethylene scavenger. • The ethylene scavenger could extend shelf life of avocados by one week.