Preparation and Characterization of Pullulan-Based Packaging Paper for Fruit Preservation

Abstract

Improving the shelf lives of fruits is challenging. The biodegradable polysaccharide pullulan exhibits excellent film-forming ability, gas barrier performance, and natural decomposability, making it an optimal material for fruit preservation. To overcome problems of high cost and film porosity of existing packaging technologies, we aimed to develop pullulan-based packaging paper to enhance the shelf lives of fruits. A thin paper coating comprising a mixture of 15 wt.% pullulan solution at various standard viscosities (75.6, 77.8, and 108.5 mPa·s) with tea polyphenols (15:2) and/or vitamin C (150:1) improved the oxygen transmission rate (120–160 cm3 m−2·24 h·0.1 MPa), water vapor transmission rate (<5.44 g·mm−1 m−2·h·kPa), maximum free radical clearance rate (>87%), and antibacterial properties of base packaging paper. Grapes wrapped with these pullulan-based papers exhibited less weight loss (>4.41%) and improved hardness (>16.4%) after 10 days of storage compared to those of control grapes (wrapped in untreated/base paper). Grapes wrapped with pullulan-based paper had >12.6 wt.% total soluble solids, >1.5 mg/g soluble protein, >0.44 wt.% titratable acidity, and ≥4.5 mg 100 g−1 ascorbic acid. Thus, pullulan-based paper may prolong the shelf life of grapes with operational convenience, offering immense value for fruit preservation.