Emulsion-Coated Active Papers Extend the Storage Life of Tomato Fruit

Abstract

This study focused on developing emulsion-coated active papers with antifungal properties to extend the shelf life of tomatoes during home storage, thereby reducing food waste in households. First, a mixture of essential oils (EOmix)—composed of 33.3% oregano and 66.7% cinnamon leaf oils—was optimised through a mixture design and emulsified with cationic starches. Based on their stability and efficacy, two different emulsions containing 10% Tween 80, 6–8% EOmix, and HI-CAT or EVO cationic starches (82 or 84%, respectively) were selected and applied on paper. Then, the antifungal performance of the coated papers was tested in culture media against Botrytis cinerea, demonstrating strong antifungal activity in the vapour phase, effective for up to 31 days at 4 °C. In tests conducted with fresh tomatoes, the active papers improved fruit appearance and significantly reduced mould growth while maintaining overall sensory quality, indicating that these materials could extend tomato shelf life and thus offer a promising, low-cost, and biodegradable solution to reduce fruit waste at the consumer level, combining effective antifungal protection with good sensory performance in real-use conditions.

Description

Se incluye también "Submitted version" que corresponde a esta referencia: Aguerri, L., Cantín, C. M., Quintero, M., Lóbez, S., Marco, P., & Silva, F. (2025). Emulsion-Coated Active Papers Extend the Storage Life of Tomato Fruit. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5236878

Keywords

Bibliographic citation

Aguerri, L., Cantín, C. M., Quintero, M., Lóbez, S., Marco, P., & Silva, F. (2025). Emulsion-Coated Active Papers Extend the Storage Life of Tomato Fruit. Foods, 14(16), 2774. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14162774
AGROVOC subjects
Envasado
Fungicida
Esencia (aceite esencial)
Agente antimicrobiano
Producto fresco

Sponsorship

Esta investigación fue financiada por el Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) y la Unión Europea NextGenerationEU/PRTR, con los proyectos TED2021-129138B-C21 y TED2021-129138B-C22. Esta investigación también fue financiada por el Gobierno de Aragón, con las ayudas T53_23R:GUIA y A24_23R-AGRINNARA.