Effect of Cassava Starch Coating

on Quality and Shelf Life of Fresh-Cut Pineapple

(Ananas Comosus L. Merril cv “Pérola”)
Vânia S. Bierhals, Marcela Chiumarelli, and Miriam D. Hubinger

Abstract: This research studied the influence of treatment with ascorbic acid, citric acid, and calcium lactate dipping and
cassava starch edible coatings on quality parameters and shelf life of fresh-cut pineapple in slices during 12 d at 5 ◦ C. After
previous tests, the treatments selected for this study were samples dipped into antibrowning solution with 0.5% of ascorbic
acid and 1% of citric acid, with and without 2% of calcium lactate and coated with 2% of cassava starch suspensions.
E: Food Engineering &

Changes in weight loss, juice leakage, mechanical properties (stress at failure), color parameters (L∗ and H ∗ ), ascorbic
Physical Properties

acid content, sensory acceptance, and microbial growth of fruits were evaluated. Samples only treated with antibrowning
agents were used as control. Edible coatings with and without calcium lactate were efficient in reducing weight loss, juice
leakage, and maintaining firmness during storage. However, these samples showed more browning and the ascorbic acid
content was reduced. All treatments presented good sensory acceptance (scores above 6). The determining factor of shelf
life of pineapple slices was the microbial spoilage. A shelf life of 8 d was obtained for pineapple slices only treated with
antibrowning agents. On the other hand, coated samples showed a reduced shelf life of 7 d and higher yeast and mold
growth. Thus, although cassava starch coatings were efficient in reducing respiration rate, weight loss, and juice leakage
and maintained mechanical properties, these treatments were not able to increase the shelf life of minimally processed
pineapple.
Keywords: antibrowning agents, cassava starch, fresh-cut, pineapple, shelf life

Practical Application: Pineapple fruit is highly appreciated for its aroma, flavor, and juiciness, but its immediate consump-
tion is difficult. Therefore, pineapple is a potential fruit for minimal processing. However, shelf life of fresh-cut pineapple
is very limited by changes in color, texture, appearance, off-flavors, and microbial growth. The use of edible coatings as
gas and water vapor barrier and antibrowning agents can extend the storage time and maintain the quality of fresh-cut
produce. Cassava starch and alginate coatings are alternative to preserve minimally processed pineapples without changing
the quality parameters of fresh fruit. Thus, this study is useful for consumers and fresh-cut industry interested in knowing
factors affecting shelf life and quality of fresh-cut pineapple.

Introduction
The production of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables is an emerging
category, because consumers look for healthy food with quality,
freshness, and convenience. Furthermore, today’s busy consumers
have no time to prepare their meals and healthy ready-to-eat prod-
ucts are interesting alternatives (Garret 2002).
Fresh-cut fruit and vegetables generally consist in washed, cut,
treated with sanitizing agents, and packaged products and stored
under refrigerated conditions (McKellar and others 2004; Del No-
bile and others 2009). The cutting or slicing operations modify the
metabolic process of vegetal tissue and increase its susceptibility to
spoilage, inducing a reduction of the shelf life (Del Nobile and
others 2009).
MS 20100608 Submitted 6/2/2010, Accepted 10/12/2010. Authors are with (Rojas-Graü and others 2009). There are very few published data
Dept. of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Engineering, Univ. of Campinas (UNI-
CAMP), P.O. Box 6121, Campinas/SP 13083-862, Brazil. Direct inquiries to
author Hubinger (E-mail: mhub@fea.unicamp.br).
The pineapple, among the tropical fruit, has great market po-
tential in the fresh-cut form due to its sensorial characteristics
and some difficulty for immediate consumption (Antoniolli 2004).
Fresh-cut pineapple is appreciated for its taste, flavor, and juiciness.
However, its shelf life is limited by changes in color, juice leakage,
enzymatic browning, texture, appearance, off-flavors, and micro-
bial growth (Soliva-Fortuny and Martı́n-Belloso 2003; Marrero
and Kader 2006; Montero-Calderón and others 2008). Several
treatments have been studied to maintain quality and extend shelf
life of fresh-cut fruit (Montero-Calderón and others 2008).
Edible coatings have been used in the fresh-cut industry as a
strategy to reduce the deleterious effects that minimal processing
on vegetal tissues. Edible coatings may contribute to extend the
shelf life of fresh-cut fruits by reducing moisture and solute mi-
gration, gas exchange, respiration, and oxidative reaction rates, as
well as by reducing or even suppressing physiological disorders
about edible coatings in fresh-cut pineapple. Montero-Calderón
and others (2008) studied the application of sodium alginate coat-
ings and modified atmosphere packaging in fresh-cut pineapple

C 2010 Institute of Food Technologists

 R

E62 Journal of Food Science r Vol. 76, Nr. 1, 2011 doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01951.x
Further reproduction without permission is prohibited
Starch coating in fresh-cut pineapple . . .

slices and concluded that a shelf life of 14 d was reached, reducing
juice leakage and preserving chemical characteristics, color, and
mechanical properties. Sensory aspects were not evaluated. Infor-
mation about cassava starch coating application on pineapple slices
is almost inexistent. Furthermore, the effects of edible coatings de-
pend on the type of material with which they are elaborated, such
as polysaccharides, protein, and lipids, and the efficiency of coat-
ings are not the same for different products, due to their different
chemical composition and moisture.
Among the polysaccharides used in edible coatings formulation,
starch is the natural biopolymer most commonly used (Durango
and others 2005). Cassava is produced throughout the Brazilian
territory and so represents an important starch source. Besides,
the cassava starch is cheap and safe (Chiumarelli and others 2010;
Garcia and others 2010).
improve the mechanical properties. Cassava starch (Pilão Amidos
Ltda, Paraná, Brazil) was used as the carbohydrate biopolymer for
coating formulation.
Methods
Determination of cassava starch concentration for coat-
ing application. Preliminary experiments were carried out to
select the concentrations of the cassava starch that provide bet-
ter effect of coatings for the storage study of fresh-cut pineapple.
Cassava starch concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3% (w/v) were
evaluated. Samples were dipped in ascorbic (1%) and citric acid
solution before the immersion in coating solutions. Slices treated
only with the antibrowning agents were used as control. Weight
loss (expressed as percentage loss of initial weight), juice leakage,
mechanical properties (stress at failure), color parameters (L ∗ , a∗ ,

E: Food Engineering &

According to González-Aguilar and others (2008), the incorpo- and b∗ ), were evaluated 24 h after the processing and on the 7th

ration of antioxidants into edible coatings can delay the negative
effects of minimal processing of fruit, increasing product shelf life.
Application of ascorbic acid (1%) and citric acid (0.5%) solution in
fresh-cut pineapple was effective to control browning (Antoniolli
2004).
Processing operations may result in a dramatic loss of firmness
in fruit tissues due to the action of pectic enzymes and the most
common way of softening control in fresh-cut fruits is the use of
treatments with calcium salts texture enhancers, which may also be
added to edible coatings to minimize softening during the storage
of fresh-cut fruits (Rojas-Graü and others 2009).
In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of
cassava starch edible coatings, on the quality attributes of fresh-cut
pineapple in slices, pretreated with ascorbic acid and citric acid
and with or without calcium lactate, during storage at 5 ◦ C for
12 d. Weight loss, juice leakage, ascorbic acid content, mechanical
properties (stress at failure), color parameters (lightness and hue
angle), sensory acceptance, and microbial growth of fruits were
evaluated, along storage as well as the respiration rate and water
vapor resistance (WVR) of the coatings.
Materials and Methods
Materials
Pineapples (Ananas comosus L. Merril), cultivar “Pérola” (Ta-
ble 1), were obtained from a local market (Ceasa, Campinas,
Brazil). Fruits were selected based on ripening grade (“painted”:
peel with yellow color in up to 25% of its area), uniform size
(1.4 kg ± 0.08 kg fresh weight with crowns), absence of physical
damage, and soluble solids content around 14 to 16 ◦ Brix. Fruits
were stored at 12 ◦ C overnight prior to processing.

R
Peracetic acid (Tsunami 100 , ECOLAB, São Paulo, Brazil) was
used as the sanitizing agent. A solution with ascorbic and citric
acid was used to keep a low pH level on the fresh-cut pineapple
surface and as an antibrowning agent. Calcium lactate was used to
Table 1–Composition of “Pérola” pineapple.
Analysis Mean valuea (g 100 g−1 )
Moisture (wet basis) 84.50 ± 0.80
0.33 ± 0.03
Ash
Total sugar 4.79 ± 1.32
Lipids 0.32 ± 0.08 Bligh and Dyer (1959)
Total acidity (citric acid) 0.72 ± 0.05
Protein 0.76 ± 0.08
Fiber 1.06 ± 0.27
a
Data were obtained by triplicate analyses and expressed as mean ± standard deviation.
Physical Properties
day of storage. Sensory analysis, respiration rate, and WVR of
pineapple slices were evaluated only 24 h after the application of
treatments.
Processing and storage. The experimental treatments were:
(1) fresh-cut pineapple treated with ascorbic acid (5 g/L) and
citric acid (10 g/L) solution (Control); (2) fresh-cut pineapple
treated with ascorbic acid (5 g/L) and citric acid (10 g/L) solution
and coated with cassava starch (20 g/L) (CS); and (3) fresh-cut
pineapple treated with ascorbic acid (5 g/L), citric acid (10 g/L),
and calcium lactate (20 g/L) solution and coated with cassava starch
(20 g/L) (CS + CL).
Minimal processing of pineapple was conducted in a room at
18 ± 1 ◦ C with the use of appropriate personal protection equip-
ment. Pineapple crowns were removed, leaving a stalk of 3 cm
from the apical region, to prevent the entry of pathogens and
minimize the stress. The fruits were dipped in a peracetic acid
solution (0.53 g/L) for 3 min. The fruits were peeled manually
and cut into slices of 1.5 mm in thickness. The pineapple slices
were dipped into the peracetic acid solution (0.53 g/L) once more
for 3 min, dipped in the ascorbic acid (5 g/L) and citric acid
(10 g/L) solution, with and without calcium lactate (20 g/L), for
2 min, the excess water was drained for 2 min and then, the slices
were immersed in the cassava starch suspensions for 2 min. To dry
the coating material, the slices were placed in a sieve and left at
room temperature (18 ± 1 ◦ C and 80% RH) for about 1 h. When
calcium lactate solution was used, ascorbic and citric acid were
incorporated directly into the solution to reduce excessive han-
dling of fresh-cut produce. Each pineapple slices were packaged
in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) trays (123 mm diameter × 44
mm), wrapped with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) stretch film with
20 μm of thickness, oxygen transmission rate of 8.200 cm3 (SPT)
m−2 d−1 (at 25 ◦ C and 101.3 kPa), and water vapor transmission
rate of 262 g m−2 d−1 (at 38 ◦ C and 90% RH). The PVC film
was perforated (five 0.45 mm diameter holes) to maintain the at-
mospheric composition of air inside the package, as can be seen
in Figure 1, where no significant modification on the atmosphere
was observed. Samples were stored in a chamber (BOD TE 391
with temperature control, Tecnal Equipamentos Ltda, Piracicaba,
Method
Brazil) at 5 ◦ C and 80% RH for 12 d.
AOAC (2005) Fresh-cut fruit coating. Cassava starch suspensions were
AOAC (2005)
heated under constant agitation until they reached 70 ◦ C, which
AOAC (2005)
is the gelatinization temperature of the cassava starch, and then
AOAC (2005) allowed to cool to laboratory temperature (23 ± 1 ◦ C) (Henrique
AOAC (2005) and Cereda 1999).
AOAC (2005) Quality evaluation. Fresh-cut pineapple characteristics were
evaluated throughout storage. Weight loss, juice leakage,

Vol. 76, Nr. 1, 2011 r Journal of Food Science E63

 Starch coating in fresh-cut pineapple . . .
ascorbic acid content, mechanical properties, color parameters,
and microbiological stability were measured after 1, 5, 9, and 12 d
of storage. Sensory analysis was measured only on days 1, 5, and 9,
due to high microbiological contamination observed in the 12th
day of storage.
Weight loss. Total of 5 trays per treatment were weighed during
the 12 d storage time. The results were expressed as percentage
loss of initial weight.
Juice leakage. Juice leakage from pineapple slices was measured
according to the method of Montero-Calderón and others (2008).
Juice leakage was assayed by tilting the packages at a 20◦ angle for
5 min and recovering accumulated liquid with a 5-mL syringe.
Results were reported as liquid volume recovered per 100 g of
fresh-cut fruit in the package.
Vitamin C content. The determination of the vitamin C was by
E: Food Engineering &
titration with 2.6-dichlorophenolindophenol method, according
Physical Properties
to official AOAC (2005), modified by Benassi and Antunes (1988).
Results were expressed as milligram Vitamin C per 100 g sample.
Mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of pineapples
were evaluated by uniaxial compression test using a Universal Test-
ing Machine (model TA-TX plus, Stable Micro Systems, Surrey,
U.K.). Stress at failure values were determined with a 60-mm di-
ameter lubricated acrylic cylindrical plate at a compression speed
of 1 mm s−1 until 80% sample deformation. The force and height
values obtained from this test were converted into Hencky’s stress
(σ H ) and strain (ε H ), considering a constant sample volume during
compression, according to Eq. (1) and (2). The stress at failure was
determined from the peak of the stress–strain curve. Five slices
were used per treatment and 2 samples of 20 × 20 mm from each
of pineapple slice collected, total of 10 readings.
F (t )
σH =
A(t )
 
H (t )
ε H = − ln
Ho
where F(t) = Force (N) at time t (s); A(t) = Area (m2 ) at time t
(s); H 0 = Initial height of the sample (m); H(t) = Height of the
sample (m) at time t (s).
Color parameters. The color of the pineapple surface was mea-
sured using a Hunter Lab colorimeter (model Ultra Scan Vis,
Reston, Va., U.S.A.), with the CIELab scale (L ∗ , a∗ , and b∗ ), us-
21
18
15
% O2 or CO2
12
9
6 CS+CL CO2
0
1 2 3 4 5 6
Days
E64 Journal of Food Science r Vol. 76, Nr. 1, 2011
ing D65 illuminant and a 10◦ observer angle as a reference system.
The color measurements were expressed in terms of lightness L ∗
(L ∗ = 0 for black and L ∗ = 100 for white), and the chromaticity
parameters a∗ (green [−] to red [+]) and b∗ (blue [−] to yellow
[+]) (McGuire 1992). From these parameters, the cylindrical co-
ordinate H ∗ (hue angle) was calculated according to Eq. (3) and L ∗
value was taken from direct measurement. Five replicates were ob-
tained for each treatment and the slices were scanned at 4 different
regions to get representative color measurements.
 
b∗
H = arctan (3)
a∗
Respiration rate. The respiration rate (RR) of the fresh-cut
pineapple was measured by static method in a closed system using
an O2 /CO2 Dual Head Space Analyzer (Model PAC CHECK
325, Mocon, Minneapolis, Minn., U.S.A.). The samples (around
50 g) were placed in 180-mL hermetic sealed glass jars with a
silicon septum for sampling the gas of the headspace. They were
maintained in a controlled temperature chamber at 5 ◦ C, and gas
sampling was carried out 1 h after closing the jars. The respiration
rate of the samples was performed in triplicate and expressed in
milliliter CO2 kg−1 h−1 .
Water vapor resistance. The procedure for determination of
WVR of coatings was done according to the method described
by Avena-Bustillos and Krochta (1993). The samples were equi-
librated for 24 h at room temperature (20 ± 1 ◦ C) in desiccators
maintained at 98.5% RH with a 0.6 M NaCl solution. After that,
samples were placed in small test cups, weighed in an analytical
balance, and placed in desiccators equilibrated at 32.7% RH with
saturated MgCl2 .6 H2 O at 20 ± 1 ◦ C. Weight was taken twice
(1) during a 24-h period. Water vapor flux was calculated according
to Eq. (4).
(2) dS 1
FV = · (4)
dt A
where FV is the water vapor transferred per unit of area
(g s−1 cm−2 ); dS/dt is the water vapor transferred (g s−1 ); and
A is the exposed area (40 cm2 ).
WVR was calculated by Eq. (5), using a modified Fick’s equa-
tion, proposed by Ben-Yehoshua and others (1985).
Figure 1–CO2 and O2 content in pineapple
slices package subjected to different
treatments during storage at 5 ◦ C: uncoated
(Control), treated with cassava starch (CS), and
Control O2 treated with calcium lactate and coated with
cassava starch (CS + CL) during storage at 5 ◦ C.
CS O2
Bars represent the mean standard error.
CS+CL O2
Control CO2
CS CO2
7 8 9 10 11 12
Starch coating in fresh-cut pineapple . . .

⎡  ⎤
%RH labeled with 3-digit random number codes (Meilgaard and others
aw − P  
⎢ 100 ⎥ 1 1998). The purchase intention of consumer was also evaluated. In
WVR = ⎢
⎣
⎥
⎦ FV (5) this analysis, the panelists were asked if they would buy or not the
Rc T
fresh-cut pineapples (Stone and Sidel 2004). On each sampling
day during storage, 50 untrained panelists, men and women (18
where WVR is the resistance of the coating to water diffusion to 50 y old), pineapple consumers, and representative of the target
(s cm−1 ); aw is water activity of the fruit (0.973); %RH is humidity public evaluated the product.
environment; P is the water vapor pressure of liquid water at 21 ◦ C Microbiological assays. The samples were analyzed for mold and
(18.22 mmHg); Rc is the gas constant (3464629 mmHg cm3 K−1 yeast growth, coliforms, and Salmonella spp., considered the main
g−1 ); and T is the temperature (K). spoilage microorganisms able to develop in fresh-cut pineapples,
Control tests with uncoated pineapples were performed to de- according to the methodologies of Downes and Ito (2001), ISO
termine the resistance factor of the uncoated sample to water 6579 (2002) and AOAC (2005), respectively. The analyses were
vapor. Water activity of samples was measured with an Aqualab made in triplicate (3 trays per treatment) during storage.
Series 3TE (Decagon Devices Inc., Pullman, Wash., U.S.A.).
Sensory analysis. The pineapple samples were subjected to a
Statistical Analysis

E: Food Engineering &

sensory analysis to evaluate appearance, aroma, flavor, texture, and

overall impression, using a 9-cm unstructured hedonic scale an-
chored with “I dislike very much” on the left side and “I like very
much” on the right side. An average score of 4.5 was considered
the limit for acceptability. Sensory tests were carried out in a stan-
dardized test room and the samples were presented in completely
randomized block design in a monadic form, using white plates
Physical Properties
All data were analyzed statistically by the analysis of variance
(ANOVA) using the software StatisticaR 7.0 (StatSoft Inc., Tulsa,
Okla., U.S.A.). When significant effects were found (at P <
mu 0.05), the Tukey’sltiple comparison tests were used to look for
significant differences between means of control, CS and CS +
CL treatments, at P < 0.05.

A Figure 2–Weight loss (A) and juice leakage

9 A A A B B (B) of uncoated fresh-cut pineapples
B C B C
a a a a a (Control), treated with cassava starch (CS),
a a b b
8 and treated with calcium lactate and coated
with cassava starch (CS + CL) during storage
7 at 5 ◦ C. Different letters (small: amongst
different treatments for the same time;
6
weight loss (%)

capital: amongst different times for the same

treatment) indicate statistically significant
5 differences (P < 0.05). Bars represent the
4 mean standard error.

0
5 9 12
Days
Control CS CS+CL

B
5 A A A B B B B B B
a a a a b b a b b

4
Juice Leakage (ml 100g-1)

0
5 9 12
Days

Control CS CS+CL

Vol. 76, Nr. 1, 2011 r Journal of Food Science E65

 Starch coating in fresh-cut pineapple . . .
Results and Discussion
Determination of cassava starch concentration
for coating application
Pineapples treated with 1%, 2%, and 3% of cassava starch did not
presented significant changes (P > 0.05) in mechanical properties
(stress at failure) and superficial color (L ∗ and H ∗ ) when compared
with control sample, indicating that the edible coatings did not
affect the natural mechanical properties and kept the fruit natural
color characteristic.
The coating application has also not influenced sensory at-
tributes of product and all treatments presented good sensory
acceptance, with all scores above 6.5. According to Nisperos-
Carriedo and others (1994), films and coatings developed from
starch are described as isotropic, odorless, tasteless, colorless, non-
E: Food Engineering &
toxic, and biologically absorbable, implying in no significant
Physical Properties
changes on the sensory quality of pineapples after the coating
application.
Cassava starch edible coatings showed a beneficial effect on
reducing of the weight loss, juice leakage, respiration rate, and
water vapor flux of minimally processed pineapples, but results
were more significant for the edible coating with 2% of cassava
starch (data not shown). At this concentration product presented
reduced weight loss (18%), juice leakage (8%), and respiration rate
(51%) and increased WVR (28%) when compared to the uncoated
fruits. Samples coated with 3% of cassava starch did not differ
statistically from control in respect to weight loss, juice leakage,
and WVR, but showed lower respiration rate (51%) than control
ones. The coating with 1% of starch reduced the weight loss, juice
leakage, and respiration rate (20%) when compared to control, and
showed WVR similar to the 2% cassava starch coating. Thus, the
coating with 2% of cassava starch was selected for a shelf-life study
of minimally processed pineapple.
Garcia and others (2010) also observed that cassava starch edi-
ble coatings, with and without potassium sorbate, did not affect
strawberries mechanical properties, superficial color and sensory
acceptance. Moreover, the coatings were able to decrease the res-
piration rate and increase WVR of the samples.
Storage study Vitamin C content. Results of ascorbic acid content,
Weight loss and juice leakage. The weight loss is a result of throughout 12 d of storage of fresh-cut pineapple at 5 ◦ C are
juice leakage and product degradation during the storage period, showed in Figure 3. The content of vitamin C was significantly
A A A B B B C C C
50
a b c a b c a b c
40
Vitamin C (mg g )
-1
30
20
10
0
1 5 9 12
Days
Control CS CS+CL
E66 Journal of Food Science r Vol. 76, Nr. 1, 2011
implying quality loss, and, consequently, consumer rejection. Ac-
cording to Han and Gennadios (2005), the edible coatings can
protect fruits and vegetables from dehydration due to their mois-
ture barrier property, resulting in an extension of the shelf life of
minimally processed products.
The coating of cassava starch, with and without calcium lactate,
significantly reduced weight loss and juice leakage throughout
12 d of storage of fresh-cut pineapple, as shown in Figure 2. The
reduction of weight loss was not statistically different (P > 0.05)
from control on the 5th and 9th days, but the decrease in juice
leakage did not differ significantly only on the 5th day.
No significant differences (P < 0.05) were found between the
treatments with coatings, thus indicating that the addition of cal-
cium did not affect weight loss and juice leakage during storage.
When weight loss and juice leakage of fruit under coatings and
control packaging conditions were compared, the contribution of
cassava starch was evident; after 12 d of storage at 5 ◦ C, the weight
loss and juice leakage was almost 25% and 40% less for coated
fresh-cut pineapple pieces, respectively.
The weight loss and liquid inside the pineapples slices packages
significantly increased as a function of storage time for all treat-
ments, due to juice leakage and reserve material consumption, a
consequence of transpiration and respiration, respectively.
Montero-Calderón and others (2008) reported that 2% sodium
alginate edible coating applied to fresh-cut pineapple pieces was
effective in preventing juice leakage, which increased the surface
WVR of the fresh-cut pineapple pieces. According to the re-
searchers, the juice leakage of coated samples was 75% lower than
uncoated samples, which indicates that the cassava starch coating
used in this study is a hydrophilic material and a poor moisture
barrier.
Viana and others (2009) observed that the weight loss of pineap-
ple slices treated with citric acid (0.5%) and coated with cassava
starch suspension (3%) did not show significant differences com-
pared with uncoated samples, during 8 d. According to the re-
searchers, this variable was only affected by the fruit maturation
stage, where slices from “green-ripe” pineapples lost less than 0.6%
of their weight during the 8-d storage period, which was slightly
less than that observed for slices form “painted” fruits.
D D C Figure 3–Vitamin C content (milligram per
gram of fruit) of uncoated fresh-cut pineapples
a a b (Control), treated with cassava starch (CS), and
treated with calcium lactate and coated with
cassava starch (CS + CL) during storage at 5 ◦ C.
Different letters (small: amongst different
treatments for the same time; capital: amongst
different times for the same treatment) indicate
statistically significant differences (P < 0.05).
Bars represent the mean standard error.
Starch coating in fresh-cut pineapple . . .
reduced throughout of storage, vitamin C reduction of control
sample, CS, and CS + CL were 72%, 60%, and 61%, respectively.
The loss of vitamin C can be attributed to the stress caused by the
operations involved in processing, resulting in greater weight loss
and juice leakage (Figure 2) through time, which contribute to the
occurrence of oxidative reactions, causing darkening, discoloration
of endogenous pigments, loss or changes in flavor, aroma and smell
of products, in addition to changes in texture and nutritional loss.
Figueiredo and others (2005) also observed decreased loss of
vitamin C during storage of pineapple slices treated with ascorbic
acid, ranging from 89.53 to 53.16 mg 100 g−1 after 10 d of storage.
Figure 3 shows that the application of cassava starch coating,
with and without calcium lactate, decreased significantly the ascor-
bic acid content of the pineapple during storage. However, this
reduction was more expressive in the samples pretreated with cal-
cium. This behavior can be explained by greater stress caused
by the treatments with coating, probably the immersion of these
samples in coatings may have leached vitamin C, which is water
soluble.
Mechanical properties. The pineapple stress at failure values
showed no statistically significant differences among the samples
during storage, with exception of CS + CL at day 12, shown
in Figure 4. The large deviations in the pineapples texture mea-
surements were probably a result of the heterogeneity among the
fruits and the lack of internal structure uniformity of this biolog-
ical material. This behavior was also observed in other fresh-cut
fruits, like papaya (López-Malo and others 1994), guavas (Pereira
and others 2004), and strawberries (Garcia 2009).
However, the pineapple stress at failure was strongly influenced
by the presence of calcium lactate. The sample CS + CL showed
a greater stress at failure values than the other treatments from the
5th day. These results showed that the pretreatment with calcium
enhanced the resistant to deformation of tissues, denoting that the
presence of calcium increased the elasticity of the pineapples.
Eduardo and others (2008) observed that the addition of 1%
and 3% of calcium salts (chloride, sulphate, and lactate) in pineap-
ple slices during 7 d storage was effective in maintaining the
index of firmness when compared to the fresh sample, which
showed a reduction of maximum penetration force. The treat-
ment with calcium sulphate 3% was more efficient, presenting
70 A A A A A A A A
a a a a a a a a
60
Stress at Failure (kPa)
50
40
30
20
10
1 5 9 12
Days
Control CS CS+CL
average firmness index 44.45% higher than the index value of the
control.
Minimally processed apple treated with whey protein concen-
trate coating also showed constant values of firmness, stored at
3 ◦ C for 2 wk. Calcium chloride addition to coatings promoted
firm fruit tissue by reacting with pectic acid in the cell wall to
form calcium pectate, which strengthens molecular bonding be-
tween constituents of cell wall (Lee and others 2003).
Throughout storage, the mechanical properties did not present
significant differences for all the treatments (P > 0.05). However,
a slight increase on stress at failure values was observed at the end
of shelf life, mainly for the samples treated with coating. This
behavior was, probably, a consequence of the great weight loss of
samples at the end of storage.
However, Sothornvit and Rodsamran (2007) and Chiumarelli
E: Food Engineering &
and others (2010) observed during the storage period, a reduction
Physical Properties
in the values of maximum penetration force and stress at failure
in minimally processed mangoes that received coatings with puree
of mango and cassava starch, respectively. Firmness loss in man-
goes has been attributed to the action of polygalacturonase and
pectinesterase on the solubilization of pectic substrates.
Color parameters. The lightness of fresh-cut pineapple, ex-
pressed by the L ∗ parameter, was not affected by the use of cassava
starch coatings and no significant differences (P > 0.05) among all
treatments were observed (Figure 5a).
At the end of storage, a significant decrease of the parameter
L ∗ was observed for all treatments, indicative of browning of sam-
ple. Average L ∗ values changed from 45 at the beginning of the
experiment to 39 after 12 d under 5 ◦ C storage.
González-Aguilar and others (2004) also observed a significant
decrease of the parameter L ∗ and b∗ throughout 14 d of storage of
pineapple slices treated with ascorbic acid (0.05%) and without an-
tibrowning agent. The application antibrowning agent contributed
to higher L ∗ , these slices maintained surface brightness and good
visual appearance.
Montero-Calderón and others (2008) observed a significant re-
duction of 22% in L ∗ parameter fresh-cut pineapple treated with
sodium alginate edible coatings added whith calcium chloride
throughout 20 d storage at 5 ◦ C, while b∗ decrease 29% in the
same period. According to the researchers, these color differences
A A A A Figure 4–Stress at failure of
a a ab b uncoated fresh-cut pineapples
(Control), treated with cassava
starch (CS), and treated with
calcium lactate and coated with
cassava starch (CS + CL) during
storage at 5 ◦ C. Different letters
(small: amongst different
treatments for the same time;
capital: amongst different times for
the same treatment) indicate
statistically significant differences
(P < 0.05). Bars represent the
mean standard error.
Vol. 76, Nr. 1, 2011 r Journal of Food Science E67
 Starch coating in fresh-cut pineapple . . .

in L ∗ and b∗ were mostly attributed to observed changes in translu-
cent appearance of the fruit flesh, which changed from a yellow-
white opaque color to a translucent yellow color, different from
this study, that attributed these changes to browning reactions and
related them to polyphenol oxidase activity.
The treatment CS + CL provided a more pronounced reduc-
tion of L ∗ values with respect to CS-treated and control sample,
indicating that the use of calcium affected negatively this color
parameter. It was visually observed that these samples presented
a browner appearance during storage, as can be corroborated for
the hue angle of the samples (Figure 5b) and related to the lowest
vitamin C content (Figure 3) observed in samples pretreated with
calcium lactate.
The hue angle of the samples reduced significantly at the end of
storage for all treatments, but this reduction was more noticeable
E: Food Engineering &
According to Antoniolli and others (2003), the chloride calcium
application in pineapples slices resulted in a decrease of the L ∗
parameter and increase of the a∗ parameter, showing more the
contribution the red color, indicating browning of the sample.
Sensory analysis. Uncoated fresh-cut pineapples and treated
with cassava starch coatings showed good sensory acceptance dur-
ing storage, with scores above 6 for all the sensory attributes eval-
uated (Figure 6).
Although samples have been well evaluated in sensory analysis
up to the 9th day of storage, in 12th day some contamination was
visually observed in some packages of treatments and for safety,
sensory analysis was not performed on this day.
Regarding the overall impression of the pineapple slices
(Figure 6e), a significant reduction was observed at the end of
storage for the samples treated with coating, with and without

for the treatment CS + CL, which showed statistically lower values calcium, probably as a consequence of slightly lower scores of the
Physical Properties

for this color parameter than the control and CS treatments after others parameters.
9 d of storage, showing that the calcium influenced tone red of Treatments did not affect pineapple slices acceptance, since no
the sample. significant differences (P > 0.05) were detected between the

A
60 A A A AB A AB AB A A B B B
a a a a a a a a a a a a
50
Lightness L*

40

30

20

10
1 5 9 12
Days
Control CS CS+CL
B
110 A A A A A A AB A B B B C
a a a a a a a a b a ab b
100

90
Hue angle H*

80

70

60

50
1 5 9 12
Days
Control CS CS+CL

Figure 5–Lightness L∗ (A) and Hue angle H∗ (B) of uncoated fresh-cut pineapples (Control), treated with cassava starch (CS), and treated with calcium
lactate and coated with cassava starch (CS + CL) during storage at 5 ◦ C. Different letters (small: amongst different treatments for the same time;
capital: amongst different times for the same treatment) indicate statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). Bars represent the mean standard
error.

E68 Journal of Food Science r Vol. 76, Nr. 1, 2011

Starch coating in fresh-cut pineapple . . .

noncoated samples and the samples treated with coatings for
the evaluated sensory attributes appearance, aroma, flavor, and
texture.
Throughout storage, no significant differences were observed
in the sensory acceptance of the samples, with exception of the
appearance attribute (Figure 6a). A significant reduction of the
appearance scores in the last day of storage was observed for the
treatment CS + CL, as panelists considered the fruit with an over
ripe appearance, which can be explained by the greatest darkening
of the samples pretreated with calcium (Figure 5).

A A A A A A AB A A B
a a a a a a a a a
9
8
Sensory Acceptance Scores

7
6
5

E: Food Engineering &

4

Physical Properties
3
2
1
0
1 5 9
Days

B A A A A A A A A A
a a a a a a a a a
9
8
Sensory Acceptance Scores

7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1 5 9
Days

C A A A A A A A A A
a a a a a a a a a
9
8
Sensory Acceptance Scores

7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1 5 9
Days

Figure 6–Sensory acceptance scores for appearance (A), aroma (B), flavor (C), texture (D), and overall impression (E) of uncoated fresh-cut pineapples
(Control), treated with cassava starch (CS), and treated with calcium lactate and coated with cassava starch (CS + CL) during storage at 5 ◦ C. Different
letters (small: amongst different treatments for the same time; capital: amongst different times for the same treatment) indicate statistically significant
differences (P < 0.05). Bars represent the mean standard error. (Continued)

Vol. 76, Nr. 1, 2011 r Journal of Food Science E69

 Starch coating in fresh-cut pineapple . . .

The purchase intention of consumers confirmed a clear prefer-
ence for control sample, showing values of around 90% throughout
the whole storage period. For CS- and CS + CL-treated samples,
consumers purchase intention was around 75%, which is not bad,
but is inferior to the registered acceptation score showed by the
control sample.
Microbiological assays. According to the limits established
by the Natl. Health Surveillance Agency—ANVISA (Brazil 2010),
the pineapple samples were within the microbiological standards,
not threatening consumers’ health. Salmonella ssp. was absent in
the 25 g samples analyzed and total coliform and E.coli were lower
than the detection limit of the method (<10 CFU g−1 ). These
results indicate that the hygienic practices and the sanitization pro-
cess were effective. Ahvenainen (1996) also emphasized the great
importance of the application of the correct hygiene procedures
E: Food Engineering &
cause the deterioration of food, impairing the sensory characteris-
tics of the product. Moreover, Lee and others (2003) affirmed that
many yeast and mold can produce toxic metabolites in food, when
the total count of these microorganisms is more than 106 CFU
g−1 . In accordance with the microbiological standards for food
not thermally processed of IFST (1999), this value is considered
the limit of acceptance of the fruit-based during the study of shelf
life.
At the beginning of storage, yeast, and mold counts of the
pineapple slices were 103 CFU g−1 (Table 2). According to An-
toniolli and others (2004), the yeast and mold counts observed
in pineapple minimally processed do not result only from the
microbiological contamination during processing, since such mi-
croorganisms are part of the endophytic microbiota of pineapple.
In 5th day of storage, the count obtained for the treatments

to prevent the risk of microbiological contamination in fresh-cut containing coating was higher than the count the control treat-
Physical Properties

products. ment, indicating this coating material was a carbohydrate source

For the yeast and mold count, the ANVISA do not specify lim- and may have been used as a substrate for microbial growth.
its for fruit products. The yeast and mold are undesirable in food, Chiumarelli and others (2010) also observed that the use of
because they are able to produce a wide variety of enzymes, which starch-based coatings on fresh-cut mango was unable to control

D A A A A A A A A A
a a a a a a a a a
9
8
Sensory Acceptance Scores

7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1 5 9
Days

E A A A A A A A A A
a a a a a a a b b
9

8
Sensory Acceptance Scores

0
1 5 9
Days
Control CS CS+CL

Figure 6–Continued

E70 Journal of Food Science r Vol. 76, Nr. 1, 2011

Starch coating in fresh-cut pineapple . . .
Table 2– Yeast and mold counts (×103 ) of uncoated fresh-cut pineapples (Control), treated with cassava starch (CS), and treated
with calcium lactate and coated with cassava starch (CS + CL) during storage at 5 ◦ C.
Treatments 1 5
Control 1.3 ± 0.4 aA
CS 1.1 ± 0.3aA
CS + CL 3.2 ± 0.6bA
Different letters (small: amongst different treatments for the same time; capital: amongst different times for the same treatment) indicate statistically significant differences (P < 0.05).
the development of yeast and molds, although the cassava starch
coating was able to delay the metabolic reactions associated to
mangoes ripening.
After 9 days of storage, all treatments showed an increase on
yeast and molds counts, reaching values around 106 CFU g−1
limit recommended by the IFST (1999).
The shelf life of the pineapple slice was limited between days 5
and 9. Data were adjusted to a polynomial that showed coefficient
of determination (R2 ) equal to 1 to establish the time that the
samples have reached the limit of acceptance. The polynomial
equations used were:
Microbial Growth Control = −0.0254x 3 + 0.5053x 2
− 2.2088x + 4.839
Microbial Growth CS = −0.006x 3 + 0.0896x 2
+ 0.1961x + 2.7613
Microbial Growth CS + CL = −0.0121x 3 + 0.1898x 2
− 0.3088x + 3.6361
The shelf life value found was 8 d in the control sample with
a counting of 3.18 × 106 CFU g−1 , and 7 d for samples treated
with coating, with and without calcium, with a counting of 4.17
× 106 CFU g−1 and 2.88 ×106 CFU g−1 , respectively.
Although Chiumarelli and others (2010) and Garcia (2009) con-
firmed in mangoes and strawberries minimally processed, respec-
tively, a small oscillation in the count (maximum 2 log cycles)
during storage, the yeast and mold counts obtained for the pineap-
ple slices had an increase of 3 to 4 log cycles during the storage
of 12 d. An explanation for this fact is that an accumulation of
exuded juice at the bottom of the packaging of pineapple slices
was observed during the storage, which possibly contributed to
speed up deterioration process of the product.
Conclusions
The cassava starch edible coating, with and without the cal-
cium lactate, was able to reduce weight loss and juice leakage,
maintain mechanical properties and all treatments presented good
sensory acceptance (scores above 6). However, the application of
the coating significantly reduced the vitamin C content and this
reduction was more significant in sample pretreated with calcium.
Although the calcium salts promote vegetal tissues more resistant
to deformation, CS + CL treatment showed browning.
The determining factor on shelf life of pineapple slices was the
microbial spoilage. A shelf life of 8 d was obtained for pineapple
slices treated only with antibrowning agents. However, samples
treated with the cassava starch coating, with and without calcium
D
9 12
1.8 ± 0.5 aA
23000 ± 1022.1 aB
15000 ± 980.4aC
170 ± 11.2bB 25000 ± 1164.6aC 45000 ± 2036.5bD
210 ± 10.4cB 24000 ± 1078.3aC 1900 ± 101.5cD
lactate, showed a reduced shelf life of 7 d. Therefore despite of
cassava starch coatings were efficient in reducing respiration rate,
weight loss, and juice leakage and maintained mechanical prop-
erties, these treatments were not able to increase the shelf life of
minimally processed pineapple due to the higher microbial growth
in coated samples.
E: Food Engineering &
Physical Properties
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to Capes and FAPESP (process nr:
08-55343-1 and 09/51420-4) for their financial support.
References
Ahvenainen R. 1996. New approaches in improving the shelf-life of minimally processed fruit
and vegetables. Trends Food Sci Technol 7:179–87.
Antoniolli LR. 2004. Fresh-cut ‘Pérola’ pineapple [DPhil thesis]. Campinas, SP: Faculty of
agricultural Engineering, State Univ. of Campinas. 166 p (in Portuguese).
Antoniolli LR, Benedetti BC, Souza Filho MSM. 2003. Effect of calcium chloride on quality
of fresh-cut ‘Pérola’ pineapple. Pesq Agropec Bras 38:1105–10.
Antoniolli LR, Benedetti BC, Souza Filho MSM, Borges MF. 2004. Evaluation of vanillin as an
antimicrobial agent on fresh-cut ‘Pérola’ pineapple. Ciênc Tecnol Aliment 24:473–7.
[AOAC] Assoc. of Official Analytical Chemists. 2005. Official methods of analysis. 18th ed.
Gaithersburg, Md.: AOAC.
Avena-Bustillos RJ, Krochta JM. 1993. Water vapor permeability of caseinate-based edible films
as affected by pH, calcium crosslinking and lipid content. J Food Sci 58:904–7.
Benassi MT, Antunes AJ. 1988. A comparison of metaphosphoric and oxalic acids as extrac-
tant solutions for the determination of vitamin C in selected vegetables. Arq Biol Tecnol
31:507–13.
Ben-Yehoshua S, Burg SP, Young R. 1985. Resistance of citrus fruits to mass transport of water
vapor and other gases. Plant Physiol 79:1048–53.
Bligh EG, Dyer WJ. 1959. A rapid method for total lipid extraction and purification. Can J
Biochem Physiol 37:911–7.
Brazil. 2001. Resolution RCD n◦ 12 of 2 January 2001. Technical regulation on microbiological
standards for foodstuffs; 2001. Brası́lia, DF: National Health Surveillance Agency (Ministry of
Health/ANVISA). Available from: http://www.anvisa.gov.br/e-legis/. Accessed Jan 20, 2010.
Chiumarelli M, Pereira LM, Ferrari CC, Sarantópoulos CIGL, Hubinger MD. 2010. Cassava
starch coating and citric acid to preserve quality parameters of fresh-cut “Tommy Atkins”
mango. J Food Sci 75:E297–304.
Del Nobile MA, Conte A, Scrocco C, Brescia I. 2009. New strategies for minimally processed
cactus pear packaging. Innovat Food Sci Emerg Tech 10:356–62.
Downes FP, Ito K. 2001. Compendium of methods for the microbiological examination of
foods, 4th ed. Washington: American Public Health Assoc. 676 p.
Durango AM, Soares NFF, Andrade NJ. 2005. Microbiological evaluation of an edible antimi-
crobial coating on minimally processed carrots. Food Control 17:336–41.
Eduardo MP, Benedetti BC, Ferraz ACO. 2008. Firmness indexes evaluation for fresh-cut sliced
pineapple treated with calcium salts solutions. Eng Agric 28:154–63.
Figueiredo RMF, Queiroz AJM, Noronha MAS. 2005. Storage of fresh-cut pineapple treated
with ascorbic acid. Revista Ciências Exatas e Naturais 07:68–75.
Garcia LC. 2009. Application of edible coatings on minimally processed strawberries [MSc
dissertation]. Campinas, SP: Faculty of Food Engineering, State Univ. of Campinas. 120 p (in
Portuguese).
Garcia LC, Pereira LM, Sarantópoulos CIGL, Hubinger MD. 2010. Selection of an edible starch
coating for minimally processed strawberry. Food Bioprocess Technol 3:834–42.
Garret EH. 2002. Fresh-cut produce: tracks and trends. In: Lamikanra O, editor. Fresh-cut fruits
and vegetables: science, technology, and market. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC. p 21–9.
González-Aguilar GA, Ruiz-Cruz S, Cruz-Valenzuela R, Rodrı́guez-Félix A, Wang CY. 2004.
Physiological and quality changes of fresh-cut pineapple treated with antibrowning agents.
Lebensm Wiss Technol 37:369–76.
González-Aguilar GA, Celis J, Sotelo-Mundo RR, de la Rosa LA, Rodrigo-Garcia J, Alvarez-
Parrilla E. 2008. Physiological and biochemical changes of different fresh-cut mango cultivars
stored at 5◦ C. Int J Food Sci Technol 43:91–101.
Han JH, Gennadios A. 2005. Edible films and coatings: a review. In: Han JH, editor. Innovation
in food packaging. Oxford: Elsevier. p 239–62.
Henrique CM, Cereda MP. 1999. Utilization of biofilms in the postharvest conservation of
strawberry (Fragaria Ananassa Duch) cv IAC Campinas. Ciênc Tecnol Aliment 19:231–3.
IFST. 1999. Development and use of microbiological criteria for foods. London: Institute of
Food Science and Technology. 76 p.
ISO 6579. 2002. Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs: horizontal method for the de-
tection of Salmonella sp. 4th ed. Geneva: The International Organization for Standardization.
Lee JY, Park HJ, Lee CY, Choi WY. 2003. Extending shelf life of minimally processed apples
with edible coatings and antibrowning agents. LWT Food Sci Technol 36:323–9.
Vol. 76, Nr. 1, 2011 r Journal of Food Science E71
 Starch coating in fresh-cut pineapple . . .
López-Malo A, Palou E, Welti J, Corte P, Argaiz A. 1994. Shelf stable high moisture papaya
minimally processed by combined methods. Food Res Int 27:545–53.
Marrero A, Kader AA. 2006. Optimal temperature and modified atmosphere for keeping quality
of fresh-cut pineapples. Postharv Biol Technol 39:163–8.
McGuire RG. 1992. Reporting of objective color measurements. HortScience 27:1254–5.
McKellar RC, Odumeru J, Zhou T, Harrison A, Mercer DG, Young JC, Lu X, Boulter J,
Piyasena P, Karr S. 2004. Influence of a commercial warm chlorinated water treatment and
packaging on the shelf-life of ready-to-use lettuce. Food Res Int 37:343–54.
Meilgaard M, Civille GV, Carr BT. 1998. Sensory evaluation techniques. 3rd ed. Boca Raton,
Fla.: CRC Press. 387 p.
Montero-Calderón M, Rojas-Graü MA, Martı́n-Belloso O. 2008. Effect of packaging condi-
tions on quality and shelf-life of fresh-cut pineapple (Ananas comosus). Postharv Biol Technol
50:182–9.
Nisperos-Carriedo MO. 1994. Edible coatings and films based on polyssacharids. In: Krochta
JM, Baldiwn EA, Nisperos-Carriedo MO, editors. Edibles coatings and films to improve food
quality. Lancaster: Technomic. p 305–35.
E: Food Engineering &
Physical Properties
E72 Journal of Food Science r Vol. 76, Nr. 1, 2011
Pereira LM, Rodrigues ACC, Sarantópoulos CIGL, Junqueira VCA, Cunha RL, Hub-
inger MD. 2004. Influence of modified atmosphere packaging and osmotic dehydra-
tion on the quality maintenance of minimally processed guavas. J Food Sci 69:172–
7.
Rojas-Graü MA, Soliva-Fortuny RC, Martı́n-Belloso O. 2009. Edible coatings to incorporate
active ingredients to freshcut fruits: a review. Trends Food Sci Technol 20:438–47.
Soliva-Fortuny RC, Martı́n-Belloso O. 2003. New advances in extending shelf-life of fresh-cut
fruits: a review. Trends Food Sci Technol 14:341–53.
Sothornvit R, Rodsamran P. 2007. Effect of a mango film on quality of whole and minimally
processed mangoes. Postharv Biol Technol 47:407–15.
Stone H, Sidel JL. 2004. Sensory evaluation practices. 3rd ed. San Diego: Academic Press. 377
p.
Viana ES, Amorim TS, Oliveira LA, Reinhardt DH, Silveira FGF, Santana FA, Santana, PN.
2009. Physicochemical characteristics of minimally processed ‘Pérola’ pineapples treated with
edible coatings. Acta Horticulturae 40:291–8.