Preparation of an Amidated Graphene Oxide/Sulfonated Poly Ether Ether Ketone (AGO/SPEEK) Modified Atmosphere Packaging for the Storage of Cherry Tomatoes

• Published in: Foods Vol. 10; no. 3; p. 552
• Main Authors: Cheng, Yao, Dong, Hao, Wu, Yuanyue, Xiao, Kaijun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 07.03.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: amidated graphene oxide; Atmosphere; Carbon dioxide; cherry tomatoes; Food packaging; Food science; Fruits; Gas composition; Graphene; Ketones; Mechanical properties; Microscopy; modified atmosphere film; Moisture; Packaging materials; Permeability; Permeability coefficient; Physicochemical properties; Post-harvest decay; Preservation; Respiration; Sensory properties; Shelf life; Spectrum analysis; sulfonated poly ether ether ketone; Thermal stability; Tomatoes; Water absorption; United Kingdom > UK; United States > US; China; Japan; cherry tomatoes; amidated graphene oxide; food packaging; modified atmosphere film; sulfonated poly ether ether ketone
• ISSN: 2304-8158; 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods10030552

The shelf life of cherry tomatoes is short so that new and efficient preservation techniques or procedures are required to reduce postharvest losses. This study focused on the development of a sulfonated poly ether ether ketone (SPEEK) film incorporated with amidated graphene oxide (AGO), for the storage of cherry tomatoes in modified atmosphere packaging. The mechanical properties, gas permeability, and moisture permeability were subsequently tested. The evolution of attributes related to shelf life, such as gas composition, physicochemical properties, and sensory properties were also monitored during storage trials. AGO, as an inorganic filler, increases the thermal stability and mechanical properties of SPEEK-based films, while it reduces the water absorption, swelling rate, and moisture permeability. Importantly, all the AGO/SPEEK films exhibited enhanced gas permeability and selective permeability of CO /O relative to the SPEEK film. Moreover, 0.9% ( ) AGO/SPEEK film showed an enhanced permeability coefficient of CO , corresponding to an increase of 50.7%. It could further improve the selective coefficient of CO /O to 67.1%. The results of preservation at 8 °C revealed that: 0.9% ( ) AGO/SPEEK film was significantly effective at maintaining the quality and extending the shelf life of cherry tomatoes from 15 to 30 days, thereby suggesting the potential for applying AGO-incorporated SPEEK films for food packaging materials.