This study developed high-adhesion quaternary chitosan coatings using amphiphilic HACC-oleic acid conjugates (HACC-OA) to enhance fruit and vegetable preservation. HACC-OA demonstrated improved viscosity and adhesion, providing a stable carrier for tea tree oil (TTO). The resulting TTO@HACC-OA coatings exhibited significantly reduced contact angle (43.7°) and increased retention amount on strawberry surfaces.
Furthermore, it demonstrated a lower volatilization rate of TTO (27.8 %) compared to pure TTO (49.5 %) and an enhanced synergistic antimicrobial activity (EC50 = 1.51 mg/mL) against Botrytis cinerea Pers compared to HACC alone (EC50 = 1.58 mg/mL). Preservation experiments revealed that TTO@HACC-OA effectively maintained color and firmness, reduced decay index and weight loss, delayed decline in vitamin C content of strawberries, postponed increase in total phenolic content, and mitigated malondialdehyde accumulation.
Therefore, the prepared composite coating with excellent adhesion ability and preservation effect holds great potential for applications in fruit and vegetable preservation.
Ying Liu, Yi Ding, Chao Wang, Jian Luo, Huanhuan Yao, Huili Zhang, Long Xu, Junfan Niu,
High-adhesion antimicrobial composite coating incorporating quaternary chitosan and tea tree oil for enhanced preservation of fruits and vegetables, Food Chemistry, Volume 465, Part 1, 2025, 142007, ISSN 0308-8146, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.142007
Source: Science Direct