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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
New hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)-lipid edible composite films and coatings containing
low-toxicity chemicals with antifungal properties were developed. Tested antifungal chemicals were
mainly salts of organic acids, salts of parabens, and other compounds, most of them classified as food
additives or generally recognized as safe (GRAS) compounds. Stand-alone edible films were used for in
vitro evaluation of their antifungal activity against the pathogens Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium
italicum by disk diameter tests. Selected edible coatings containing food preservatives were tested in
vivo on ‘Valencia’ oranges to determine their curative (coated after fungal inoculation) and preventive
(coated before fungal inoculation) activity to control citrus postharvest green and blue molds, caused
by P. digitatum and P. italicum, respectively. Film disks containing parabens and the organic acid salts
potassium sorbate (PS) and sodium benzoate (SB) were the most effective to inhibit both P. digitatum
and P. italicum. The use of mixtures of organic acid salts did not provide any additive or synergistic effect
for in vitro pathogen inhibition when compared to the use of single chemicals. On ‘Valencia’ oranges,
the curative activity of coatings with food preservatives was higher for blue mold than for green mold.
Coatings containing the mixture SB + PS and SB and sodium propionate (SB + SP) reduced the incidence
and severity of blue mold by 85 and 95%, respectively. PS- and SB-based coatings controlled green mold
more effectively than coatings formulated with other food preservatives. Fruit coated before inoculation
did not show any incidence or severity reduction of both green mold and blue mold (preventive activity).
The antifungal curative action of the coatings was fungistatic rather than fungicidal.
Description
Proceedings of the International Conference “Environmentally friendly and safe
technologies for quality of fruit and vegetables”, held in Universidade do Algarve, Faro,
Portugal, on January 14-16, 2009. This Conference was a join activity with COST Action 924.
Keywords
Citrus Food additives Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose Penicillium digitatum P. italicum