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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #67038
Title: REDUCTION OF FLUID LOSS FROM GRAPEFRUIT SEGMENTS WITH WAX MICROEMULSION COATINGS

Author
item Baker, Robert
item Hagenmaier, Robert - Bob

Submitted to: Journal of Food Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/14/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: When fresh whole peeled grapefruit or segments produced by vacuum infusion of pectinases are packed without liquid cover, they may suffer liquid losses of over 15 percent during 4 weeks' storage. Edible wax microemulsion coatings made with polyethylene wax, candelilla wax or carnauba wax reduced leakage of dry-packed segments by 50-80 percent after two and four weeks' storage, and were undetectable by taste panels either before or after storage.

Technical Abstract: Fresh whole peeled grapefruit or segments produced by vacuum infusion of pectinases are relatively new minimally processed products. When packed without liquid cover, segments from mature late season fruit had fluid losses of over 15 percent during 4 weeks' storage. Edible wax microemulsion coatings reduced leakage of dry-packed segments by 80 and 64 percent after two and four weeks' storage, and were optimally effective in reducing leakage when diluted to 12 percent solids content. Coatings could be made with polyethylene wax, candelilla wax or carnauba wax, and with lauric, stearic, palmitic or myristic acids. Whether made with morpholine or ammonia as the base, coatings were undetectable by taste panels either before or after storage.