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This research was funded by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and the European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR, grants number TED2021-129138B-C21 and TED2021-129138B-C22. This research was also funded by the Gobierno de Aragon, grant number T53_23R:GUIA and A24_23R-AGRINNARA.

Impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Analysis of institutional authors

Cantin, Celia MAuthorMarco, PedroAuthor

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September 5, 2025
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Emulsion-Coated Active Papers Extend the Storage Life of Tomato Fruit

Publicated to:Foods. 14 (16): 2774- - 2025-08-09 14(16), DOI: 10.3390/foods14162774

Authors: Aguerri, Laura; Cantin, Celia M; Quintero, Marinelly; Lobez, Silvia; Marco, Pedro; Silva, Filomena

Affiliations

Agencia Aragonesa Invest & Desarrollo, ARAID, Zaragoza 50018, Spain - Author
CSIC, Estn Expt Aula EEAD, Zaragoza 50059, Spain - Author
Ctr Invest & Tecnol Agroalimentaria Aragon CITA, Zaragoza 50059, Spain - Author
Univ Zaragoza, Fac Vet Med, Zaragoza 50013, Spain - Author
Univ Zaragoza, I3A Aragon Inst Engn Res, Zaragoza 50018, Spain - Author
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Abstract

This study focused on developing emulsion-coated active papers with antifungal properties to extend the shelf life of tomatoes during home storage, thereby reducing food waste in households. First, a mixture of essential oils (EOmix)-composed of 33.3% oregano and 66.7% cinnamon leaf oils-was optimised through a mixture design and emulsified with cationic starches. Based on their stability and efficacy, two different emulsions containing 10% Tween 80, 6-8% EOmix, and HI-CAT or EVO cationic starches (82 or 84%, respectively) were selected and applied on paper. Then, the antifungal performance of the coated papers was tested in culture media against Botrytis cinerea, demonstrating strong antifungal activity in the vapour phase, effective for up to 31 days at 4 degrees C. In tests conducted with fresh tomatoes, the active papers improved fruit appearance and significantly reduced mould growth while maintaining overall sensory quality, indicating that these materials could extend tomato shelf life and thus offer a promising, low-cost, and biodegradable solution to reduce fruit waste at the consumer level, combining effective antifungal protection with good sensory performance in real-use conditions.

Keywords

Active emulsionsAgentes antimicrobianosAntifungal activityAntifungal paperBio-based active materialBioplásticosBotrytis-cinereaC treatmentChitosanEnvasado de alimentosEos mixtureEsencias (aceites esenciales)Essential oilsFruit shelf lifeFungicidasMolNatural antimicrobialNatural antimicrobialsProducto frescoProductos naturalesResponsible consumption and productionSpoilageSurface

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Foods due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2025, it was in position 42/181, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Food Science & Technology.

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-09-09:

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

    It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

    • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
    • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: http://hdl.handle.net/10532/7761
    Continuing with the social impact of the work, it is important to emphasize that, due to its content, it can be assigned to the area of interest of ODS 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, with a probability of 49% according to the mBERT algorithm developed by Aurora University.