Guarnieri Anna, Triunfo Micaela, Ianniciello Dolores, Tedesco Francesco, Salvia Rosanna, Scieuzo Carmen, Schmitt Eric, Capece Angela, Falabella Patrizia
Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy.
School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2024 Aug;275(Pt 2):133149. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133149. Epub 2024 Jun 30.
Post-harvest water loss and microbial infections are the root cause of the rapid deterioration of fresh fruit after the picking process, with both environmental and economic implications. Therefore, it is crucial to find solutions that can increase the shelf life of fresh fruits. For this purpose, edible coatings, naturally derived and non-synthetic, are acknowledged as a safe strategy. Among polymeric coatings, chitosan is one of the most effective. In this work, this biopolymer, produced from chitin extracted from Hermetia illucens, an alternative and more sustainable source than crustaceans (the commercial one), was exploited to extend the shelf life of white and red grapes. Chitosan from H. illucens pupal exuviae, at 0.5 % and 1 % concentrations, was applied on both grapes, which were then stored at room temperature or 4 °C. The study of chemical-physical parameters such as weight loss, Total Soluble Solids and pH, demonstrated the effectiveness of the biopolymer, even better than crustacean chitosan. Moreover, the analysis of nutraceutical properties has demonstrated that this natural edible coating improves the quality of grapes, with beneficial effects for human health. The obtained results, therefore, confirmed the viability of using insect-chitosan as an alternative to crustaceans for the preservation of fresh food.
采后水分流失和微生物感染是新鲜水果采摘后迅速变质的根本原因，这对环境和经济都有影响。因此，找到能够延长新鲜水果保质期的解决方案至关重要。为此，天然衍生且非合成的可食用涂层被认为是一种安全的策略。在聚合物涂层中，壳聚糖是最有效的之一。在这项工作中，这种生物聚合物由从黑水虻中提取的几丁质制成，黑水虻是一种比甲壳类动物（商业来源）更具替代性和可持续性的来源，被用于延长白葡萄和红葡萄的保质期。将浓度为0.5%和1%的黑水虻蛹蜕壳聚糖应用于两种葡萄，然后将它们储存在室温或4℃下。对诸如重量损失、总可溶性固形物和pH值等化学物理参数的研究表明了这种生物聚合物的有效性，甚至比甲壳类壳聚糖更好。此外，营养特性分析表明，这种天然可食用涂层提高了葡萄的品质，对人体健康有有益影响。因此，所得结果证实了使用昆虫壳聚糖替代甲壳类动物用于保鲜新鲜食品的可行性。
