The increasing consumer interest in fresh cut fruits has favored the development of technologies aimed at prolonging shelf life. Among these technologies, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and edible coatings, in combination with refrigeration temperatures, have been shown to have the potential to reduce weight loss, respiration rate and improve food appearance and integrity.
Spanish scientists at University of Extremadura evaluated the effect of three edible coating formulations on physical, chemical and hygienic parameters of fresh cut nectarines during 7 days of refrigerated storage, and determined if the shelf life of fresh-cut fruit could be prolonged using coating and MAP.
For the work, nectarines were cut into four sections (with an approximate weight of 25 g each) and coated in three different formulations consisting of chitosan (2 g/100 mL), pectin (2 g/100 mL) and sodium caseinate (2 g/100 mL) with glycerol as plasticizer. Sections were packed in MAP (11.5% O2 + 2.3% CO2) and stored at 3 ± 1 °C during 7 days. Edible coating were applied by dipping nectarine sections in the different solutions for 3minutes.
Scientists concluded that the application of edible coatings of chitosan, pectin and sodium caseinate, as formulated in the present research, did not affect the quality parameters of nectarine sections and, thus it did not promote a longer shelf life compared with noncoated nectarine sections.
In this sense, and considering other results reported in other fruits, future trials with other formulations can be necessary in minimally processed nectarine. However, it is remarkable that nectarine sections can be stored for a period of 7 days as important parameters related to texture, color and hygienical quality are maintained.
Results of the work were published first online last June 18th 2015 at:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jfpp.12519/abstract
Source: Ramirez M.E., Timón M.L., Petrón M.J., Andrés A.I., ‘Effect of chitosan, pectin and sodium caseinate edible coatings on shelf life of fresh-cut Prunus persica var. nectarine’, 2015, Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, doi:10.1111/jfpp.12519.
Contacts:
Andrés A.I.
Food Technology Department, School of Agricultural Engineering, University of Extremadura
Badajoz 06071, Spain
Ph. : +34 924 286200
Fax: +34 924 286201
Email: aiandres@unex.es