Utilization of Smart Nanomaterials for Fruit Fresh Keeping

This research reported the fresh-keeping effectivity of smart nanomaterials for bananas and kiwis. The fresh-keeping gas, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), was loaded in self-assembled nano microballoon of cyclodextrin. The amount of 1-MCP in the nano microballoon was detected by TG, and the amount of 1-MCP was up to 2 wt%. 1-MCP released much faster when the microballons were dealt with water than in the air, and it needed about 8 days for the complete release of 1-MCP in water, while it only released 0.3% under 74% air humidity after 25 days. The nano microballoons were added into printing ink uniformly, and then printed on the surface of cartons. The medium-well fruit without any treatment for fresh keeping was picked from orchard, and the fresh-keeping measure was conducted in daily environment. The storage time of kiwis in common carton was about 6 days, while the time can be prolonged to 23 days in fresh-keeping carton. And the storage time of bananas in fresh-keeping box was 5 times to that in common box, where the bananas can be stored for 5 days.