Abstract
Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) has received great attention as a nontoxic and efficient antimicrobial agent for the preservation of fresh fruits and vegetables. A novel two-layer coated corrugated box was developed to release gaseous ClO2 under the trigger of moisture in this study. The inner surface of the box was firstly coated with a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol-NaClO2-diatomite and then with chitosan acetic acid solution. Results showed that ClO2 was successfully released under high humidity due to the reaction of NaClO2, water vapor and acid. The concentration of released ClO2 increased with the increasing NaClO2 content in the coating, while the addition of diatomite stabilized and extended the release. To evaluate the preservation effect, strawberries were packed in the coated box and stored at room temperature. Compared with the control, the decay rate and weight loss of the strawberries packed in the coated box (9 g/L NaClO2) were reduced up to 21.88% and 6.84%, respectively. The surface color, firmness and nutrients content were also better maintained. Therefore, this coated corrugated box with the capability to release ClO2 under the trigger of moisture has great potential to be applied as an antimicrobial packaging for fresh fruits and vegetables.
Highlights
Fresh fruits and vegetables are susceptible to microbial infection due to their rich nutrient content, high moisture content and mechanical damages during harvest and transportation [1], which greatly shorten their shelf-life and cause huge economic loss
A two-layer polymer coating composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) containing NaClO2 and chitosan dissolved in 1% (w/v) acetic acid has been applied on the inner-surface of corrugated box, in order to in-situ release gaseous ClO2 under the trigger of CO2 and water vapor generated by the respiration and transpiration effect of fresh fruits and vegetables
Ascorbic acid content (AA) helps to clean up free radicals in fruits, Titratable acid content (TA) content is closely related to the flavour, while total soluble solids (TSS) are the substrates of metabolism activities [27]
Summary
Fresh fruits and vegetables are susceptible to microbial infection due to their rich nutrient content, high moisture content and mechanical damages during harvest and transportation [1], which greatly shorten their shelf-life and cause huge economic loss. Current strategies to control microbial infections in fresh fruits and vegetables include cold storage and the application of antimicrobial agents. When a packaging material is incorporated with a non-volatile antimicrobial agent, it needs close contact with the packaged food to effectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms on the surface. This study is aiming to develop a novel antimicrobial corrugated cardboard box with the capability to release gaseous ClO2 under the trigger of moisture. A two-layer polymer coating composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) containing NaClO2 and chitosan dissolved in 1% (w/v) acetic acid has been applied on the inner-surface of corrugated box, in order to in-situ release gaseous ClO2 under the trigger of CO2 and water vapor generated by the respiration and transpiration effect of fresh fruits and vegetables. The coated box was used as packaging of fresh strawberries to evaluate its preservation effect
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