Investigation of protein-based edible coating for preservation of fresh fruits

Food waste is a growing concern in Singapore, with a significant proportion due to perishable items expiring during or soon after distribution. To address this challenge, edible coating for food preservation has emerged as a viable solution for extending the shelf life of food products. This is part...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Chen, Yilin
Other Authors: Hong Li
Format: Final Year Project (FYP)
Language:English
Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/168297
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author Chen, Yilin
author2 Hong Li
author_facet Hong Li
Chen, Yilin
author_sort Chen, Yilin
collection NTU
description Food waste is a growing concern in Singapore, with a significant proportion due to perishable items expiring during or soon after distribution. To address this challenge, edible coating for food preservation has emerged as a viable solution for extending the shelf life of food products. This is particularly important for Singapore, which is a tropical country and heavily relies on food imports and therefore requires longer shelf life for fresh produce. In this project, the development and optimization of egg protein-based nanocomposites as a natural coating material would be focused on to prolong the lifespan of fresh fruits. The study tested the functionality and compatibility of different edible coating materials including eggs, glycerol, curcumin, and cellulose nanocrystals. The findings showed that the coating significantly slowed down the ripening of bananas, improved moisture retention and maintained freshness under room temperature. Also, it was verified that cellulose nanocrystals played a crucial role in the coating, maintaining the structure of the fruits. Additionally, the study compared the effectiveness of chitosan and cellulose nanocrystals coatings and found that the latter performed optimally. The study's results provided valuable insights into the utilization of edible coatings for fruit preservation and supported the Singapore government's "30 by 30" food strategy to bolster local food production and reduce food waste. This research could serve as a basis for further research into edible coating for preservation of fresh fruits.
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spelling ntu-10356/1682972023-06-10T16:52:35Z Investigation of protein-based edible coating for preservation of fresh fruits Chen, Yilin Hong Li School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering ehongli@ntu.edu.sg Engineering::Mechanical engineering Food waste is a growing concern in Singapore, with a significant proportion due to perishable items expiring during or soon after distribution. To address this challenge, edible coating for food preservation has emerged as a viable solution for extending the shelf life of food products. This is particularly important for Singapore, which is a tropical country and heavily relies on food imports and therefore requires longer shelf life for fresh produce. In this project, the development and optimization of egg protein-based nanocomposites as a natural coating material would be focused on to prolong the lifespan of fresh fruits. The study tested the functionality and compatibility of different edible coating materials including eggs, glycerol, curcumin, and cellulose nanocrystals. The findings showed that the coating significantly slowed down the ripening of bananas, improved moisture retention and maintained freshness under room temperature. Also, it was verified that cellulose nanocrystals played a crucial role in the coating, maintaining the structure of the fruits. Additionally, the study compared the effectiveness of chitosan and cellulose nanocrystals coatings and found that the latter performed optimally. The study's results provided valuable insights into the utilization of edible coatings for fruit preservation and supported the Singapore government's "30 by 30" food strategy to bolster local food production and reduce food waste. This research could serve as a basis for further research into edible coating for preservation of fresh fruits. Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) 2023-06-10T12:51:03Z 2023-06-10T12:51:03Z 2023 Final Year Project (FYP) Chen, Y. (2023). Investigation of protein-based edible coating for preservation of fresh fruits. Final Year Project (FYP), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/168297 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/168297 en application/pdf Nanyang Technological University
spellingShingle Engineering::Mechanical engineering
Chen, Yilin
Investigation of protein-based edible coating for preservation of fresh fruits
title Investigation of protein-based edible coating for preservation of fresh fruits
title_full Investigation of protein-based edible coating for preservation of fresh fruits
title_fullStr Investigation of protein-based edible coating for preservation of fresh fruits
title_full_unstemmed Investigation of protein-based edible coating for preservation of fresh fruits
title_short Investigation of protein-based edible coating for preservation of fresh fruits
title_sort investigation of protein based edible coating for preservation of fresh fruits
topic Engineering::Mechanical engineering
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/168297
work_keys_str_mv AT chenyilin investigationofproteinbasedediblecoatingforpreservationoffreshfruits