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Submitted to: Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2004 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Virtually all citrus and apple coatings now in use in the United States contain morpholine. This chemical is not permitted as an ingredient of coatings used in Europe, presumably because it is known to be a precursor of N-nitrosomorpholine, a carcinogen. Morpholine-containing coatings are relatively easy and cheap to make, stable and have relatively low odor. Ammonia may be substituted for morpholine, but ammonia based-coatings are difficult to make, less stable, and of course have an ammonia odor. However, these properties are advantages only to the middlemen, not the consumer. Although ammonia-based microemulsions of carnauba wax are normally made in pressure cells, a method was developed for making these with very simple laboratory equipment. Many ammonia-based, carnauba-wax coatings were made and tested in our laboratory. The successful formulation of these coatings required use of a combination of oleic acid and a saturated fatty acid, preferably lauric or myristic. They were tested on citrus fruit with good results. |
