Laser-Induced Microporous Modified Atmosphere Packaging and Chitosan Carbon-Dot Coating as a Novel Combined Preservation Method for Fresh-Cut Cucumber

Abstract

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is widely used for the preservation of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables. But many commercial polymeric films are limited to MAP applicability due to a low gas permeability of these films. Laser perforation is a novel method to provide micropores that raises gas permeability. Laser-induced micropore-based MAP (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 pores) and carbon-dot/chitosan (CDs/CH) coating with CD concentration of 4.5% for the preservation of fresh-cut cucumber during storage were investigated. Fresh-cut cucumber was coated by chitosan carbon-dot, packaged by micropore-based packaging bag of about 100 μm, then stored at 4 °C for 15 days. Results showed that micropore-based MAP (100 μm) can effectively adjust the gas composition of fresh-cut cucumber during storage. Micropore-based MAP (100 μm) with four micropores in combination with CD/CH coating provided appropriate O2 concentration of 9.8% and CO2 concentration of 10.3%. Micropore-based MAP (100 μm) with four micropores and CDs/CH coating effectively maintained minimum weight loss of 4.1%, firmness of 6.6 N, and aerobic plate count of 5.02 log CFU g−1, malondialdehyde content of 2.94μmol kg−1, and inhibited the degradation of flavor as well as the maintenance in water distribution behavior at the 15th day of storage. Therefore, micropore-based MAP in combination with chitosan carbon-dot coating can be used as an effective method for the preservation of fresh-cut cucumber.