Enhanced Gas Permeability of Wax Coating with Microcrystalline Cellulose Aerogel Microparticles for Preservation Application

Abstract

Wax coating is an important preservation method for extending the postharvest shelf life of fruit due to the dense structure possessing an effective barrier against microorganism infection. However, the dense structure also limits the permeability to carbon dioxide and oxygen, leading to the accumulation of acetaldehyde and ethanol due to anaerobic respiration. In this study, we developed an edible coating by incorporating microcrystalline cellulose aerogel particles (CAPs) into a carnauba wax-based coating (CAPCB). The CAP possesses a porous structure with nanometer-scale pores that facilitate gas exchange, thus improving the permeability of the coating. With the addition of 1.00 % CAPs, the CAPCB increased the CO2 and O2 permeability rates by 35.61 % and 52.16 %, respectively. Meanwhile, the pore size is small enough to prevent the microorganism, which maintains the microorganism barrier property of wax coating. Finally, the fruit preservation performance of CAPCB was conducted using jujube as a model. The CAPCB reduced acetaldehyde and ethanol production of jujube by 34.79 % and 15.81 % respectively. These results highlight the potential of CAPCB as a promising material for extending the shelf life of horticultural products.

Keywords: Microcrystalline cellulose, Aerogel, Wax coating, Fruit preservation, Permeability