Abstract The increasing use of natural biodegradable polymers to preserve foods is a consequence of the concern of society with sustainability. Starch stands out amongst the natural polymers due to its great availability on a worldwide scale, high extraction yield and nutritional value, low cost, biodegradability and biocompatibility. Apart from the traditional sources, various others exist with extraction potential. The objective of this study was to identify films from different non-traditional starch sources with properties revealing their potential to be applied as coating for fruits and vegetables. The biodegradable films were prepared with three starch concentrations (2, 3 and 3.5%) for each of the following sources: cassava, yam, jackfruit seed and mango kernel. The starches from the sources studied are promising ingredients for the formulation of films, presenting good physical, optical (such as transparency) and mechanical characteristics, principally tensile strength whose maximum value was 36.63 MPa. Increases in starch concentration directly influenced the thickness, water vapor permeability, tensile strength and puncture force. The films with the greatest potentials for use according to their characteristics were 3% cassava, 3% yam, 3.5% jackfruit seed and 2% mango.

RESUMO Inhame, mandioca, semente de jaca e amêndoa da manga têm potencial para extração de amido e utilização na indústria alimentícia ou para formulação de revestimentos biodegradáveis. Como revestimento, o amido pode ser aplicado em frutas de maturação rápida, como manga, que requer tecnologias para incrementar sua vida útil. O objetivo desse trabalho foi caracterizar o amido de fontes não tradicionais e avaliar o potencial como revestimento em manga ‘Palmer’. Os amidos foram extraídos de mandioca, amêndoa de manga, semente de jaca e inhame, tendo sido caracterizados para propriedades físicas, ópticas e químicas, para posterior uso como revestimentos em manga ‘Palmer’. Os revestimentos utilizados foram amido de mandioca a 3%; de semente de jaca a 3,5%; de amêndoa de manga a 3,5% e de inhame a 3,5%, que foram comparados ao controle (sem revestimento). Os frutos foram armazenados a 24,4 ± 0,3 °C e 87 ± 2% de UR e avaliados por até 12 dias. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, em fatorial 5x7. O teor de amido total foi superior a 70% nas quatro fontes. Os amidos de semente de jaca e de inhame apresentaram maior teor de amilose. Os amidos das quatro fontes apresentaram baixa solubilidade em água e poder de inchamento, destacando-se o de semente de jaca. Os revestimentos mantiveram a qualidade dos frutos, destacando-se o amido de amêndoa de manga por reduzir a respiração e a perda de massa em 27,7% e 33,8%, respectivamente, bem como o da semente de jaca que também atrasou o amarelecimento da casca.

ABSTRACT Yam, cassava, jackfruit seed and mango seed kernel have potential for the extraction and use as starch in the food industry of starch or for the formulation of biodegradable coatings. As a biodegradable coating, starch can be applied in fruits characterized by a fast maturation, such as mango, which requires technologies to increase its shelf life. The aim of this study was to characterize starch from four non-traditional sources and to evaluate their potential as coating for ‘Palmer’ mango fruit. Starches used were extracted from cassava, mango seed kernel, jackfruit seed, and yam, and had their physical, optical, and chemical properties characterized for later use as coatings of ‘Palmer’ mango fruit. Fruits were coated with 3% cassava starch, 3.5% jackfruit seed starch, 3.5% mango seed kernel starch and 3.5% yam starch, and were compared to the control (uncoated). They were then stored at 24.4 ± 0.3 °C and 87 ± 2% RH and evaluated for 12 days. A 5x7 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized experimental design was adopted. Total starch content was higher than 70% in the four sources of starch. Starches from jackfruit and yam had higher amylose content. The four sources of starch had low water solubility and swelling power, with jackfruit seed starch having the highest values. The coating sources were effective in maintaining quality, particularly mango seed kernel starch because it reduced respiratory rate and weight loss in 27.7% and 33.8%, respectively, as well as jackfruit seed starch as it delayed fruit skin yellowing.

Resumo O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de recobrimentos à base de amido de sementes de jaca (A), adicionado à quitosana e ao alginato, na fisiologia e manutenção da qualidade de goiabas ‘Paluma’, no armazenamento refrigerado, seguido da transferência para a condição ambiente. O delineamento foi o inteiramente casualizado, em 4 repetições, e esquema fatorial 4x2, sendo 4 recobrimentos (dispersão de A - 4%; A - 2% + quitosana - 2% (AQ), A - 2% + alginato - 2% (AA) e o controle - sem recobrimento), em 2 ambientes (refrigerado (10±2 °C e 80±2% U.R) com transferência para o ambiente (25±3 °C e 75±4%, RU) no 16° e 20º dias de refrigeração. Os recobrimentos AQ e AA foram eficientes em reduzir a taxa respiratória em frutos durante 10 dias ao ambiente. O recobrimento AQ retardou o amadurecimento dos frutos, manteve a firmeza e a coloração, com intenção de compra e aparência superiores ao limite de aceitação por mais 6 dias, após a transferência para o ambiente, aos 16 dias de refrigeração.

Abstract The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of jackfruit seed starch-based (S) coatings, added to chitosan and alginate on the physiology and maintenance of quality of cold stored ‘Paluma’ guavas, followed by transfer to the room condition. The design was the completely randomized, in a 4x2 factorial scheme, in 4 replications, with 4 coatings (dispersion of S - 4%; S 2% + chitosan - 2% (SC); S - 2% + alginate - 2% (SA); and the uncoated control), in 2 environments (refrigerated (10±2 °C e 80±2% RH) with transfer to room condition (25±3 °C e 75±4% HR)), on the 16th and 20th day of cold storage. The SC and SA coatings were efficient in reducing the respiratory rate in fruits during 10 days at room condition. The SC coating delayed fruit ripening, and maintained firmness and color, with intention of purchasing and appearance higher than the limit of acceptance for another 6 days, following transferring to room condition, at the 16th day of refrigeration.

As espécies frutíferas do gênero Eugenia têm grande potencial para recomposição ambiental, possibilitando não somente a recuperação da flora como também a atração da fauna. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de diferentes tratamentos para remoção da polpa sobre a emergência e crescimento inicial de plântulas de Eugenia jambolana Lam. Os tratamentos utilizados foram: fricção com areia lavada (T1), cal virgem (T2), pó de madeira (T3), degustação humana (T4), fermentação por 24, 48, 72 e 96 horas (T5, T6, T7 e T8, respectivamente) e a testemunha - fruto inteiro sem nenhum tratamento (T9). Após a remoção da polpa, as sementes foram lavadas em água corrente e submetidas à secagem em ambiente de laboratório durante 24 horas, sendo em seguida semeadas em bandejas contendo areia, utilizando-se quatro repetições de 25 sementes por tratamento. Na avaliação do efeito dos tratamentos, determinou-se o teor de água, porcentagem e índice de velocidade de emergência, comprimento e massa seca de plântulas. O teor de água das sementes reduziu nos tratamentos de fricção com cal e remoção humana, sendo mais elevado na testemunha, mas todos os tratamentos promovem elevados percentuais de emergência em relação à testemunha, sendo os melhores resultados de vigor obtidos nos tratamentos de remoção humana e fermentação por 24 e 96 horas.

The fruit species of the genus Eugenia have great potential for environmental restoration, enabling not only the recovery of flora and fauna attraction. In the present research it was evaluated the effect of different treatments for removal of the pulp on the emergence and early growth of seedlings of Eugenia jambolana Lam. The treatments were rubbing with sand (T1), lime (T2), wood dust (T3), human tasting (T4), fermented for 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours (T5, T6 , T7 and T8, respectively) and the control - whole fruit without any treatment (T9). After removing the pulp the seeds were washed in water and subsequently dried in a lab environment for 24 hours, and then sown in trays containing sand, using four replicates of 25 seeds per treatment. In assessing the effect of treatments it was determined the water content, percentage and index of germination speed, length and seedling dry weight. The water content of seed treatments reduced friction with lime and removing human, being higher in the control, but all treatments promoted high rates of emergency in relation to the control and the best results obtained in vigor removal treatments and human fermented for 24 and 96 hours.