ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Polysaccharide from Anacardium occidentale L. tree gum (Policaju) as a coating for Tommy Atkins mangoes

Marthyna P. Souza, Miguel A. Cerqueira, Bartolomeu W. S. Souza, José A. Teixeira, Ana L. F. Porto, António A. Vicente, and Maria G. Carneiro-da-Cunha

Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof Moraes Rego, s/n, Cidade Universitária, 50670-420 Recife, PE, Brazil

E-mail: mgcc@ufpe.br

Received: 30 September 2009  Revised: 17 November 2009  Accepted: 19 November 2009

Abstract: Policaju-based coatings were applied on “Tommy Atkins” mangoes and the effects of four different treatments on mango shelf-life were evaluated under storage condition at 4°C and 82 % of relative humidity over 28 days. The surface tension of mangoes was found to be 29.04 mN m⁻¹; the dispersive and polar components were 27.57 mN m⁻¹ and 1.47 mN m⁻¹, respectively, and the critical surface tension was 22.7 mN m⁻¹. A significantly lower mass loss was observed in all mangoes treated with Policaju-based coatings. For all applied treatments, no significant variation in the total soluble solids and pH was detected over the experimental storage time. The results show that Policaju-based coatings have a positive effect on the shelf-life extension of mangoes at low storage temperatures (4°C).

Keywords: Policaju - edible coating - shelf-life - mango

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-010-0017-7

Chemical Papers 64 (4) 475–481 (2010)