Preparation and application of chlorine dioxide gas slow-release fresh-keeping card based on polylactic acid

Blueberries are highly perishable after harvest, so a simple preservation method is needed to extend the shelf life of blueberries. In this study, sodium chlorite-loaded sepiolite was added to polylactide solution with tartaric acid to create a ClO2 gas slow-release fresh-keeping card. The fresh-keeping card absorbs moisture in the air, which causes tartaric acid to enter the sepiolite and react with sodium chlorite to release ClO2 gas slowly. The study investigated the impact of fresh-keeping cards on the quality attributes of blueberries, including appearance, decay rate, ethylene release rate, respiration rate, hardness, ascorbic acid content, and anthocyanin concentration. Low-field nuclear magnetic technology was used to analyze the water state and distribution of blueberries during storage. The results showed that the ClO2 gas released by the fresh-keeping card can destroy ethylene in the air and kill microorganisms in blueberries, thereby delaying fruit decay.