CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Improving the storage of minimally processed mangoes represents a substantial challenge for packaging. For thispurpose, thermoplastic starch (TPS) and its composites with bacterial cellulose nanoribbons (TPS/BC) were usedas wrapping materials to prolong the shelf life of minimally processed mangoes. Commercial polyvinyl chloridestretch (PVC*) films and unwrapped mangoes were used as the controls. The samples were stored at 75 % RH and5 °C for five and ten days. The films were removed after storage and subjected to mechanical tests and physicalevaluation. The weight loss, firmness, total soluble solids, and total titratable acidity in the mangoes were testedto monitor fruit ripening. ATR-FTIR was used as an alternative nondestructive technique to examine fruit qualitythrough changes in the sugar and organic acid contents. The results showed that TPS films reduced mango weightloss until the fifth day (2.84 %), whereas the reduction in weight loss seen in mangoes wrapped with TPS/BC waseven lower (13.18 %). Therefore, even though both TPS and TPS/BC films can be used to prolong the fruit shelflife for five days, the latter is more effective. The elongations at break of both film samples remained constantover time, which means that these films can be used under stress conditions.