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Cellulose-based coatings have good coating-forming properties, and their applications have attracted much attention for tropical fruits. However, reviews of coating mechanical properties effects on the tropical fruit are limited. This article reviews cellulose-based coating materials, synthesis and functional properties of cellulose-based coatings, incorporation of active agents into coating material, and the effects of coatings on tropical fruit quality. The greater hydrophilicity of carboxymethyl cellulose is suitable for the coatings of tropical fruits. To properly preserve the quality of tropical fruits, it is crucial to choose coating materials according to their physical qualities. Coating characteristics and usefulness can be enhanced by minimizing the adverse effects of physical, chemical, and microbial factors when bioactive substances are included or encapsulated into the coating material. This review gives more understanding in selecting an appropriate coating for tropical fruits to retain their quality and prolong their shelf life without deep concern for food loss during distribution, storage, and at retailers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The methodology to electrospin polystyrene (PS) fibres functionalised with the inclusion complex between 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) has been developed successfully. Due to limited availability, α-CD crystals instead of 1-MCP/α-CD complex were suspended in the electrospinning (ES) solutions to investigate the ES process. The ES solutions were characterised in terms of viscosity, conductivity and surface tension. Meanwhile, the fibres were subjected to scanning electron microscopy. The average fibre diameter was proportional to approximately one-sixth power of the capillary number of the ES solution. Viscosity, which was a function of PS concentration and α-CD loading, was the main property that dictated the spin ability of the ES solutions. ES fibres with 1.5–4.4 μm in diameter were produced with 12.5–20.0% (w/w) PS in ES solution and an equal amount of the inclusion complex for PS. In the case of the ES solutions of 20 wt% PS loaded with the inclusion complex from 0 to 100% (w/w) to PS, all the ES solutions were electrospinnable with the average diameter ranging from 3.8 to 4.6 μm. X-ray diffractometry indicated that the α-CD crystals were homogeneously suspended on the fibre mats. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that the crystals were suspended on the fibre mats while being coated with a layer of PS. The complex-functionalised fibre was formed from the ES solution of 20% PS and 50% (w/w) inclusion complex with the ES. The release characteristics of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) from the functionalised fibre and the inclusion complex were investigated real time under linearly ramping humidity conditions at constant temperatures with a home-built humidity regulating system coupled with gas chromatography. The irregular release profiles were successfully modelled and the activation energies of release for the functionalised fibre and inclusion complex were about 128 and 69 kJ/mol, respectively.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water sorption process of three types of starch noodles with different cross‐sectional shapes is studied in a temperature range of 30°C–70°C. The process could be expressed by a rate equation based on a linear driving‐force approximation, for all the noodles and at any temperature. The activation energy for water penetration is practically negligible for all the noodles, indicating that there is no energy barrier for water migration. For two noodles with approximately square and rectangular cross‐sections, the equilibrium moisture content shows different degrees of temperature dependence at temperatures higher and lower than the gelatinization temperature of starch. The enthalpy changes for water sorption in the high‐ and low‐temperature regions are greater than 20 kJ mol‐1 and lesser than 10 kJ mol‐1, respectively. It is suggested that the rate‐limiting step of water sorption for gluten‐free noodles was movement of water through the laminar fluid film on the noodle surface. The validity of this suggestion is confirmed by the fact that the water sorption rate increased as the shaking speed during water sorption increased. These findings indicate that increasing the specific surface area is effective in preparing gluten‐free starch noodles with a high water sorption rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bancha is a popular type of green tea in Japan, rich in tea polyphenols (TPs) and has a more astringent aroma with a less aromatic and strong character that complements functional foods. The blanching process is used to extract TPs and remove unwanted microorganisms, as well as inhibit phenolic oxidation. This study proposed a green tea blanching process followed by spray drying the extracts with maltodextrin. Furthermore, it is focused on maximizing the major chemical components of green tea (i.e., catechins, caffeine, and phenolic contents) based on powder particle size obtained through Multiple Response Surface Methodology optimizations. The results show that the proposed model accurately predicts leached-spray dried green tea's total catechin and caffeine content, with a coefficient of 0.9475 and 0.8692, respectively. This process yielded composite desirability of 0.9751, while individual desirability yielded excellent results of 1.0000, 0.9188, 1.0000, and 0.9839 for catechin, caffeine, phenol content, and powder. The settings appear to yield functional results for entire responses. Due to the concerns in tropical skin nutrition applications, smaller particle size green tea can promote better adsorption than larger sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]