Effects of incorporation with clove (Eugenia caryophyllata) essential oil (CEO) on overall performance of chitosan as active coating

This research is focused on improving performance of chitosan based functional material by introducing active additive. A series of assays revealed incorporation with clove essential oil (CEO) significantly improved the physical, chemical and antimicrobial performance of chitosan. In this work, the prepared chitosan-CEO film (CH-CEO) showed varieties in color parameters, mechanical strength and water vapor permeability. Moreover, chitosan was endowed with significant antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, thereby it was used as protective coatings for fresh-cutting apple tubes at similar to 1 degrees C. Results demonstrated the treatment slowed down the quality deterioration process of preserved apple samples, especially for firmness and color. As well, CH-CEO coating reduced microbial counts in the preserved apple samples and inhibited the varieties in the chemical properties. The overall observations revealed that CH-CEO film has remarkable potential as an antioxidant and antimicrobial material, especially as an active coating for fresh-cutting foods during storage. (C) 2020 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

This research focused on improving the performance of chitosan-based functional materials by introducing an active additive, specifically clove essential oil (CEO), which significantly enhanced the physical, chemical, and antimicrobial properties of chitosan. The chitosan-CEO film showed improvements in color parameters, mechanical strength, and water vapor permeability, and demonstrated potential as an antioxidant and antimicrobial material for fresh-cutting foods during storage. The coatings effectively slowed down the quality deterioration process of preserved apple samples and reduced microbial counts, highlighting their potential for food preservation applications.