Resumo

OLICON-HERNANDEZ, Dario Rafael; ACOSTA-SANCHEZ, Álvaro; MONTERRUBIO-LOPEZ, Ricardo  e  GUERRA-SANCHEZ, Guadalupe. Chitosan and Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage as the base of a polymeric edible film for the protection of tomatoes against Rhizopus stolonifera. TIP [online]. 2019, vol.22, e194.  Epub 04-Mar-2020. ISSN 1405-888X.  https://doi.org/10.22201/fesz.23958723e.2019.0.194.

Chitosan (CS) is a versatile raw material for the production of fibers and biomaterials. As antifungal compound, it has an interesting mechanism related to interactions with the cell membranes, being effective against various fungi. Likewise, Opuntia mucilage (OM) is a polymeric matrix with interesting applications in the agricultural and food field. An edible film based on these materials was designed in this work, as an alternative to defend crops against fungi infections. Various tests of homogeneity and resistance were performed by varying the concentration of chitosan, glycerol and mucilage to select the best composition for the film. Subsequently, structural and rheological studies were carried out as elements for the characterization of the chosen formulation. Finally, in vitro and in situ tests were performed to evaluate the antifungal potential in the protecting the crops of interest. Based on the qualitative and physicochemical characterization, it was determined that the film with better integrity in its structure was obtained at concentrations of 3% glycerol, 2% chitosan and 20% mucilage. The resulting film was homogenous, flexible, luminous, slightly dark, with cumulative viscosity, that means that total viscosity is the result of each component viscosity. The CS-OM film demonstrated a strong antifungal effect against Rhizopus stolonifer in vitro and in situ conditions and increased the shelf-life of tomatoes. The results showed the potential of the use of this biodegradable film in protecting the crops of interest, making it an attractive polymeric product for field application.

Palavras-chave : Chitosan; Opuntia mucilage; edible film; Rhizopus stolonifer.

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