Coating of fruit with an edible soybean protein isolate film doped with hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose for improved preservation

Coating a film on the surface of fruits to prolong the shelf life is an often-used method. However, wax coating is not sustainable and environmentally compatible. In this study, soybean protein isolate (SPI) and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) were dissolved to form a coating solution with glycerin added as a plasticizer. The results showed that the tensile strength (TS) of the films increased from 6.52 to 20.76 MPa and the elongation at break (EAB) decreased from 68.07% to 12.67% when HPMC content increased from 0% to 20%, respectively. The intermolecular forces between the SPI and HPMC molecules made the polymers film-forming and the obtained film more continuous and stronger. The obtained film was tested on grapes and cherry tomatoes, which tightly coated with the film without any cracks. This greatly delayed their deterioration. By comparing the mass loss, total soluble solids, hardness, titratable acids, and pH values, the results showed that the coated grapes and cherry tomatoes exhibited higher freshness than the bare ones. This study fabricated an environmentally friendly coating that could prolong the shelf life of fruits, which will potentially promote the healthy development of the fruit industry.