PVA as packaging for increasing shelf life of tomatoes

Resumo

Plastic packaging originated from petroleum used in the food industry represents serious environmental problems. Alternative solutions to this type of problem consist of the development of biodegradable packaging, such as films and edible coatings. Studies point to polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as an alternative biodegradable packaging. This article evaluates the effect of the application of two different packaging techniques, based on polyvinyl alcohol, in order to increase shelf life of ripe tomatoes of the Carmen variety. The methodology of this study consisted in coating the fruit with a PVA solution and also in wrapping the fruit with tissue paper, previously impregnated with PVA film. The analyzes of the fruits were compared to those that had not undergone any type of treatment. Thus, it was possible to observe that the edible PVA-based coat applied directly on the fruits contributed to the maintenance of the quality of the tomatoes compared to the fruits in which the PVA or the PVA associated to the paper packaging was not applied.