Antibacterial films made with persimmon (Diospyros kakiL.), pectin, and glycerol: An experimental design approach

Abstract

Persimmon is among the fruits with a significant postharvest loss over the last few years. Thus, it is important to investigate new technical feasibilities to obtain products with higher added value from this fruit. In this study persimmon puree films (Diospyros kaki L.) incorporated with glycerol and pectin by casting technique were formulated using a Plackett–Burman design and characterized. The puree showed high carbohydrate content (175.70 g/kg). In descending order, fructose, glucose, and maltohexaose were the sugars found in persimmon. All the independent variables studied—puree concentration, pectin, glycerol, and temperature—statistically influenced the tensile strength (0.75–1.30 MPa), elongation at break (17.69–26.02%), and Young's modulus (3.34–10.94 MPa) of the films. Water solubility ranged from 68.80% to 80.86%, which were very similar to other films based on puree fruit in the literature. Samples presented high vapor permeability (5.77–6.63 × 10−6 g/h/m/Pa) when compared to biodegradable films. Scanning electron microscopy showed smooth surfaces and good plasticizer dispersion. The colorimetric coordinates indicated the films are reddish and yellowish, giving them an orange‐ish visual aspect. The films exhibited antimicrobial activity, especially against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. These results indicate that the developed films might be a good candidate for antimicrobial food packaging improving food quality and safety. Practical Application The production of fruit‐film packaging with functional and biodegradable characteristics might reduce postharvest loss of fruit and have the potential to develop active food packaging. In this sense, this study is in line with precepts of the circular economy, once it takes advantage of exceeded resources that would be discarded by generating biodegradable films which can be used as edible packaging. Furthermore, given the antimicrobial potential of the films developed, they might be applied as active packaging to improve food safety and extend shelf life.

Active antioxidant and aromatic films blended with persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) and orange peel flour (Citrus sinensis) as sustainable packaging

“…This processing consisted of triturating the whole fruit in an industrial blender until homogenous aspect. 11…”

“…[6][7][8][9][10] However, as far as is known, this research group is the only one of its kind to propose the development of active and biodegradable films based on natural polymer from persimmon. 11 Brazil is the fifth-largest producer of this fruit in the world and delivers one of the highest yields, approximately 21,112 kg per hectare. 12,13 Due to the interesting profile of carbohydrates and fibers, and the presence of several active compounds with antioxidant properties, such as phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and tannins, the use and exploitation of persimmon are encouraged to avoid postharvest losses during the short and intense harvest.…”

“…Matheus et al 11,13 were the first to demonstrate the possibility of obtaining flexible films based on persimmon puree (PP) with antimicrobial activity against food pathogens, and of using them as part of a minimally processed vegetable package.…”

“…23,24 The extraction of fibers and bioactive substances is a process that consumes time, energy, and inputs, on the other hand, the direct use of citrus fruit by-products in the form of flour has proven to be more convenient. 25 The present study sought to build on Matheus et al 11,13 by adding orange peel flour (OPF) as a bioactive additive to these films to be used as intermediary layers between slices of cheese to promote an easier separation. According to Piscopo et al, 26 cheeses packaged in biodegradable materials showed lower lipolysis and proteolysis indexes compared with synthetic materials.…”

Assessing land, nutrients and monetary value associated with postharvest loss of persimmon in Brazil: pathways toward sustainability in agri-food systems

“…Over recent years, studies focusing on the chemical and bioactive composition of persimmon have been observed. In addition, new strategies and forms of reducing postharvest losses of this fruit are explored (Lucas-Gonz alez et al, 2018;Matheus et al, 2021a;Matheus et al, 2021b;Santana et al, 2022). However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has explored the postharvest losses of persimmon using Brazilian data.…”