Food and Bioprocess Technology

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-022-02989-9

RESEARCH

NaY‑Ag Zeolite Chitosan Coating Kraft Paper Applied as Ethylene

Scavenger Packaging
Thalita R. P. Soares1 · Andresa F. Reis1 · Jackson W. S. dos Santos1 · Eduardo G. L. Chagas2 · Anna C. Venturini1 ·
Rafaelle G. Santiago3 · Moises Bastos‑Neto3 · Rodrigo Silveira Vieira3 · Rosemary A. Carvalho2 · Classius F. da Silva1 ·
Cristiana M. P. Yoshida1

Received: 6 June 2022 / Accepted: 26 December 2022

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2023

Abstract
Cellulosic packaging containing an active and sustainable coating can prolong the shelf-life of cherry tomatoes, maintaining
the nutritional composition and physical integrity. A new and sustainable active material packaging was developed based
on the silver-impregnated-zeolite incorporation into chitosan Kraft paper coating. Zeolite (NaY) was modified by cation
exchange with silver ion (NaY-Ag) and incorporated into a chitosan filmogenic matrix, forming an active coating on the
Kraft paper surface. The active coating paper formulation was defined using an experimental design ­22 + central points
with independent variables: chitosan concentration (1–2%, w/w) and NaY-Ag zeolite concentration (0.2–1.2% w/w). The
efficiency of the ethylene scavenger active packaging material was evaluated by packing a perishable fruit (cherry tomato)
and conditioning it for 30 days at 25 ± 2 °C. The cherry tomatoes conditioned in active coating paper presented a weight loss
reduction of 29% and maintenance of the texture associated with the adsorption capacity of ethylene gas. After 30 days of
storage, the a* color parameter increased by 39%, compared to fruits packed in uncoated packages, which increased the a*
values by 79%, indicating a slower rate of ripening of cherry tomatoes packed in the active silver-impregnated zeolite NaY
chitosan coating on Kraft paper material. The active packaging systems developed showed a tendency to reduce the ripening
rate of the fruit, controlling the ethylene concentration in the headspace, and also could contribute to minimizing the impact
that synthetic polymer coatings have on paper degradation, presenting a sustainable characteristic.

Keywords  Active food packaging · Active coating · Chitosan · Ethylene scavenging · Perishable fruit · Shelf-life

Introduction Active packaging is a material in which active compounds

The active packaging system is used in the food sector to
extend the shelf-life of packaged food item(s), simplify pro-
duction processes, reduce or eliminate preservatives, and
provide convenience, quality, and safety of the packaged
food (Janjarasskul & Suppakul, 2018; Salgado et al., 2013).
* Cristiana M. P. Yoshida
cristiana.yoshida@unifesp.br
1
UNIFESP, Federal University of São Paulo, Institute
of Ambiental, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Diadema, SP, Brazil
2
USP, University of São Paulo, Faculty of Animal Science
and Food Engineering, Pirassununga, SP, Brazil
3
UFC, Federal University of Ceará, Grupo de Pesquisas
Em Separações Por Adsorção, Chemical Engineering
Department, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
are incorporated and deliberated in the packaging material or
the headspace to control undesirable changes in food-packed
qualities (Al-Naamani et al., 2016). An active packaging
system could reduce the chemical additives, including syn-
thetic preservatives, in food products to cater to consumers’
concerns about food-related health risks and environmental
problems (Gaikwad et al., 2020).
Ethylene ­(C2H4) is a small gaseous molecule that acts as
a maturation phytohormone or growth regulator of plants
that plays a role in many physiological processes for plants,
fruits, and vegetables (Joung et al., 2021). In general, plants
produce ethylene in varying amounts, directly related to
fruit ripening and accelerated senescence, inducing rapid
maturation of post-harvest fruits and vegetables, especially
the climacteric fruits (Mansourbahmani et al., 2018). Even
in low concentrations (ppb, ηL ­L−1), ethylene significantly
impacts fresh products’ quality and shelf-life, especially

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during transport and storage (Sousa et al., 2020). Ethylene
production leads to substantial losses of products and can
reduce the shelf-life of fruit and vegetables by 10–80% (Wei
et al., 2021).
Different technologies have been applied to minimize
the impact of ethylene during the storage and distribution
of climacteric fruits and vegetables depending on the pri-
mary mechanism of action of the compound used to remove
ethylene: oxidation or adsorption/absorption (Awalgaonkar
et al., 2020).
Ethylene scavenger is the most popular system used to
control ethylene, and it is based on the oxidation of ethyl-
ene via potassium permanganate to ­CO2 and ­H2O, releasing
manganese dioxide ­(MnO2) and potassium hydroxide (KOH)
(Sharma & Ghoshal, 2018). However, ­KMnO4 must be used
in sachets filler as it is toxic to consumers and purple in
color (Yildirim et al., 2018). However, the use of sachets is
unfavorable, as they act in a limited area, making it difficult
for ­C2H4 to come into contact with ­KMnO4 (Tirgar et al.,
2018). Activated carbon and minerals (zeolites and clays)
can adsorb/absorb ethylene; thus, they have been used to
develop active packaging. One of the most promising materi-
als for ethylene adsorption is zeolites. Due to their molecular
sieve and adsorption properties, they become ideal for films
preparing ethylene adsorption packaging (Alver, 2013).
Zeolites are hydrated aluminosilicates of alkali and alka-
line earth elements with unique crystal structures consisting
of a three-dimensional S ­ iO4 and ­AlO4 tetrahedral frame-
work. In general, zeolite contains negative charges in its
framework, and the charges are usually balanced by alkali
or alkali-earth ions (Patdhanagul et al., 2012). Y-type zeolite
has excellent thermal stability and catalytic activity and is
generally synthesized from aluminum, silicon, and sodium
sources. It is known to have a large surface area of an ordered
structure (904 ­m2 ­g−1), which can be overcome with values
even 3000 ­m2 ­g−1 with the introduction of metal–organic
frameworks materials (Chae et al., 2004; Le et al., 2019).
Zeolite can control ethylene in the storage of fresh prod-
ucts in sachet form or incorporated into films (Pathak et al.,
2017). Composite zeolite/chitosan films present the ability
of ethylene adsorption depending on the amount of zeolite
or drying process employed, with potential application for
fruit storage (Sousa et al., 2020). The impregnation of sil-
ver (Ag) in zeolites has aroused interest in ethylene control
and stored fruits’ atmosphere (Monzón et al., 2021). The
mechanism involving ethylene adsorption in porous struc-
tures impregnated with ions A ­ g+ is the π-complexation (Wu
et al., 2019), allowing the selective adsorption of ethylene,
delaying the ripening process of the fruit inside the package
during transport and storage (Monzón et al., 2021).
Chitosan is a linear polysaccharide consisting of
poly-β-(1–4)-D-glucosamine units (Tian & Liu, 2020).
Chitosan is obtained from the deacetylation of chitin, a
13
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Food and Bioprocess Technology
naturally occurring biopolymer found in the exoskeleton
of crustaceans, fungal cells, and other biological materi-
als (Remedio et al., 2019). Chitosan is a non-toxic, bio-
degradable, biocompatible, low-cost, and film-forming
biopolymer (Kumar et al., 2019). Chitosan coating on
paper or paperboard surfaces improved the mechanical,
electrical, printing, barrier, antibacterial, and anti-insect
properties of paper (Silva et al., 2022).
Different packaging systems were developed to improve
the shelf-life of tomatoes. A paperboard-based packaging
coated with waterproof lacquer enriched with encapsulated
essential oil containing β-cyclodextrin contributed to the
maintenance and preservation of fresh tomatoes (Buendía-
Moreno et al., 2019). Álvarez-Hernández et al. (2021)
evaluated the combined effect of thymol (free non- or
encapsulated within chitosan particles) and ­KMnO4-based
­C2H4 scavengers, as a sachet-based active packaging, on
fungal development and fruit quality preservation during
postharvest storage. Ethylene control was observed by Tas
et al. (2017) in halloysite nanotubes (HNTs)-polyethylene
nanocomposites applied as packaging material. Kaewklin
et al. (2018) investigated the feasibility of active chitosan
packages containing titanium nanodioxide to maintain the
quality and extend the shelf-life of climacteric fruits.
This study aimed to develop and characterize a sus-
tainable active packaging material with ethylene adsorp-
tion capacity based on chitosan film containing NaY-Ag
zeolite coating Kraft paper, evaluating the efficiency of
cherry tomatoes (climacteric fruit) packaging system. The
present work focuses on using natural polymers as based
food packaging material, stimulating the use of renewable
raw materials, and tending to have a more positive attitude
towards the environment.
Materials and Methods
Materials
The Ag-zeolite was zeolite NaY treated with a silver
(Ag-Y), proceeding from the Carioca Catalyst Factory
SA (FCC SA, Brazil). Chitosan is from Polymar (Ceará,
Brazil) with a degree of deacetylation of 82% and a
molar mass of 1.47 × ­1 0 5   g·mol −1 . Kraft paper sheets
(200 g·m−2) were purchased from Comercial Nossa Sen-
hora do Líbano Ltda. (Brazil). Cherry tomatoes (Sola-
num lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) at the commercially
ripe stage were obtained from a local market and selected
according to apparent/visual uniformity (color or bright
red, firmness, and physical damage absence). Pure ethyl-
ene (99.9%) gas cylinder and pure nitrogen gas (99.9%)
(White Martins, Brazil).
Food and Bioprocess Technology
Methods
Silver Impregnation on Zeolite
The wet impregnation followed the method described by
Yassue-Cordeiro et al. (2015). The adsorbent was oven-
dried without air circulation (Solab, SL 100/216, Brazil) at
100 °C for 24 h. Silver nitrate was solubilized in ultrapure
Mili-Q water and added to the adsorbent in a proportion of
10% silver (NaY-Ag). The suspensions were inserted into
a roto evaporator (IKA, RV10 DIGITAL, Germany) under
a vacuum at 70 °C. The resulting material was dried in a
non-circulating oven (Solab, SL 100/216, Brazil) at 100 °C
for 12 h.
Active Kraft Paper Manufacture
Chitosan film suspensions were prepared by dispersing chi-
tosan (2.0%, w/w) in aqueous acetic acid. The stoichiomet-
ric amount of acetic acid was calculated from sample mass
and the deacetylation degree to protonate all the N
­ H2 sites
(Yoshida et al., 2009). The suspensions were homogenized
by magnetic stirring at room temperature for 60 min. The
Ag-zeolite was added and ultrahomogenized at 20,000 rpm
for 10 min using an UltraTurrax (T25, IKA, Germany). The
coating of Kraft paper sheets was adapted from Maciel et al.
(2012). The suspension was uniformly dispersed on Kraft
paper sheets using an automatic film spreader (Erichsen,
Speed II—TKB, Germany) with a 100 μm extensor. The
coated paper sheets were dried with a forced air circulation
oven (Marconi, MA035/1000, Brazil) for 120 s at 120 °C.
The coating formulations were defined using experimental
design ­22 + central points, with two independent variables
(chitosan and Ag-zeolite concentrations). The levels of vari-
ations in the concentrations studied are shown in Table 1.
Active Kraft Paper Characterization
Grammage  The grammage of Kraft paper (g·m−2) was
determined according to ASTM D646-96 (ASTM, 2001).
The samples measuring 0.125 m × 0.125 m were weighed
using an analytical balance (Ohaus, ARC 120, Brazil). Ten
repetitions were performed for each trial.
Table 1  Variables and levels Variables Levels
studied in the factorial planning
for coating Kraft paper with  − 1 0  + 1
chitosan and adsorbent
Chitosan 1.0 1.5 2.0
concentration
(%, w/w)
Ag-zeolite 0.2 0.7 1.2
concentration
(%, w/w)
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Thickness  Thickness was measured using a digital micrometer
Manual (1 µm), MDC-25 M Model (Mitutoyo, Japan). The
measurements were performed at five different points in each
sample. It used ten samples (ASTM D645, ASTM, 2002).
Water Absorption Capacity: Cobb Test  Water absorp-
tion capacity was determined following ASTM D3285-
93 (ASTM,  2005). The samples were cut to size
0.125 m × 0.125 m and placed in a desiccator containing
silica for 72 h at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C). Afterward,
the samples were weighed on an analytical balance and then
fixed in Cobb equipment (Regmed, Brazil), and 100 mL of
distilled water was placed in contact with the surface delim-
ited by the ring of the apparatus for 120 s. After this period,
the specimen was removed. The excess water was removed
by placing the samples between two sheets of absorbent
paper and pressing quickly with a cylindrical roller; then,
the samples were immediately weighed. Ten repetitions
were performed for each trial. The water absorption capac-
ity (Abs, g·m−2) was calculated using Eq. 1, where Mf is the
final sample mass (g) and Mi is the initial sample mass (g).
Abs = (Mf − Mi) × 100 (1)
Taber Stiffness  Taber stiffness was determined using
the standard method ASTM D5342-97 (ASTM,  2007).
Uncoated and coated Kraft paper sheets were cut into
38 mm × 70 mm samples in the MD (machine direction) and
CD (cross-machine direction). Taber stiffness was measured
at an angle of 15º using Taber stiffness equipment (model
RI 5000, Regmed, Brazil). Results are expressed in mNm.
There were at least ten replicates per experiment.
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)  SEM analysis was
adapted by Reis et al. (2011), Kraft paper sheets uncoated
and coated in cross-sections were cut, and the surface of
gold-sputtered chitosan films using an LEO 440i scan-
ning electron microscope (LEO electron microscopy Ltd.,
England) was under the following conditions: accelerating
voltage = 15 kV, distance = 25 mm, current = 200 pA, and
vacuum = ­10−5 torr (1.3 × ­10−3 Pa).
Ethylene Adsorption Isotherms  Before the isotherms were
obtained, a pretreatment was necessary to ensure that no
contaminant was adsorbed on the material. The sample was
placed in the measuring cell inside the magnetic suspen-
sion balance (Rubotherm, Germany); then, the vacuum was
applied. The temperature was raised at 1 °C.min−1 to 200 °C.
The regeneration temperature and vacuum were maintained
until the mass of the adsorbent showed no decay (10 h).
The sample was cooled to room temperature, and the eth-
ylene adsorption tests started. The ethylene isotherms were
obtained at 25 °C.
13
 Food and Bioprocess Technology

X‑Ray Diffraction (XRD)  The XRD of coated Kraft paper
sheets was performed at room temperature with an X-ray
diffractometer (Lynxeye- Bruker, D8 advance, EUA), using
copper Kα radiation (1.5418 Å), the voltage of 40 kV, and
current of 40 mA. The samples were evaluated at an interval
of 10° < 2θ < 90° with a speed of 2°.min−1.
Active Kraft Paper Efficiency
Sheets of uncoated and coated Kraft paper were used to form
small pouches to pack cherry tomatoes (climacteric fruit).
The boxes had dimensions 6.5 × 6.5 × 6.2 cm. The packaging
box size allows the storage of approximately 100 g of cherry
tomatoes. The boxes were sealed using hot melt glue. Other
packaging systems are developed for negative and positive
controls of cherry tomato storage, as described in Table 2.
Shelf‑Life of Cherry Tomato  The cherry tomatoes were
washed in water and immersed in hypochlorite solution (2%,
v/v) for 10 min and then rinsed in running water. The cherry
tomatoes were dried and distributed into Kraft packaging
boxes. The packaging systems (Sads, UnKr, ChKr, NaY-
AgChKr) were conditioned at 25 °C in an incubator (BOD-
TECNAL, Brazil) for 30 days. The ethylene concentration
(%) in the headspace of boxes, weight loss, pH, texture, and
instrumental color was analyzed in function of storage time.
Ethylene Gas Measurement  Ethylene gas analyses were per-
formed using a portable gas analyzer (YES AIR, 8 Channel
IAQ Monitor, Canada). Three pouches of cherry tomatoes
were selected for gas quantification every 5 days, a total of
30 days of analysis. Gas withdrawal from the headspace of
cherry tomatoes pouches was made using a syringe con-
nected to a small hose attached to the sensor. The measured
ethylene concentration was considered the average of the
highest value measured by the sensor in each replicate (trip-
licate). The kinetics of ethylene production by the fruit was
plotted on a graph whose axes consist of gas concentration
(ppm) as a function of box storage time (days).
pH  The pH of cherry tomatoes was determined using a pH
meter HI 2221 (Hanna Instruments, USA). Five tomatoes
were processed to form a small portion of juice to measure
the pH at room temperature.
Weight Loss  Weight loss was determined as the difference
between the initial weight of the boxes with cherry tomatoes
and the corresponding weight after different times of stor-
age. The test was measured in 5 replicates. The result was
expressed in percentage (%) (AOAC, 2005).
Texture Analysis The firmness of cherry tomato samples was
determined by a compression test using a texturometer CT3
texture analyzer (Brookfield, USA). The compression test was
performed at a constant speed of 5 mm·s−1 with a cylindrical
probe of 45 mm in diameter. The maximum force was reg-
istered in this test, corresponding to the maximum strength
required to deform the tomato at 10%. The texture test was
performed in 5 replicates. The result was expressed in N.
Instrumental Color  The surface color of the cherry toma-
toes was measured with a portable colorimeter (Konica
Minolta Co. Ltd., Japan). Color changes were quantified in
the CIELAB color space. Five readings were done, obtain-
ing the parameters: L* (lightness); a* (redness), the balance
between green and red; and b* (yellowness), the balance
between yellow and blue.
Statistical Analysis
Statistical analysis was carried out with the Statistic version
7.0 program (Statistic Inc., USA) and the Tukey multiple
comparison tests detected differences between the means.
Results and Discussion
Active Kraft Paper Characterization
The formulation of the ethylene scavenger active packag-
ing system was defined by an experimental design to obtain
good mechanical, barrier, and ethylene adsorption proper-
ties. The independent variables were chitosan and NaY-Ag
zeolite concentrations. The dependent variables were the
ethylene adsorption capacity and characterization of active
coated papers (grammage, thickness, Cobb test, Taber stiff-
ness) and the handling viability.
The Kraft paper coated with Ag-NaY-chitosan (NaY-
AgChKr) surfaces was continuous, homogeneous, and low

Table 2  Description of Packaging system Denomination Description of Kraft paper box

packaging systems used in
the stability study of cherry
tomatoes
Sachet Positive control Uncoated paper with commercial ethylene
adsorbent sachet
UnKr Negative control Uncoated paper
ChKr Control paper Chitosan-coated paper
NaY-AgChKr Active packaging Chitosan/zeolite NaY-Ag (10%)-coated paper

13

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Food and Bioprocess Technology
thickness. SEM images showed that chitosan penetrated the
paper matrix, covering the cellulose fibers and filling the
paper’s pores (Fig. 1). It is possible to observe the three sig-
nificant components of active material: cellulose fiber, chi-
tosan film, and zeolite particles. The zeolite particles were
uniformly dispersed on the Kraft paper surface, represented
by the white points, which may positively affect ethylene
adsorption and manufacture of the packaging pouch.
The chitosan and zeolite coating filled the spaces between the
cellulose fibers, forming a discontinuous film on the surface of
the Kraft paper. After rigorous handling of the coated material,
no delamination was observed, indicating compatibility between
the chitosan film and the cellulose fibers. Similar results were
verified by Maciel et al. (2014) in anthocyanin-chitosan coatings
on the surface of the cardboard.
It was observed that a higher number of agglomerates
(white points) on the surface of the coatings (Fig. 1d and e)
increase the concentration of NaY-Ag zeolite (1.2%, w/w),
which is associated with zeolite crystals. The zeolite crystals
were dispersed throughout the polymeric chitosan matrix,
indicating uniformity in the active material developed. After
the impregnation process, the zeolites showed a content of
9.1 ± 0.1% of silver.
Fig. 1  Surface micrographs of
active Kraft paper coated with
different active chitosan film
based on experimental design
(1500 ×): a without coating
(SR); b test 1; c test 2; d test 3;
e test 4; f test 5; g test 6, and h
test 7
-10 m-
(a)
-10
(d)
-10

(g)
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Ghule et al. (2006) studied the coating of ZnO particles
on the paper surface as an antimicrobial agent and found that
the particles effectively adhered to the paper surface. Reis
et al. (2011) studied the application of chitosan emulsions as
a coating of Kraft paper and verified, through SEM images,
good adhesion of the chitosan film containing palmitic acid
on the surface of the cellulosic fibers, forming a thin film.
Chitosan films with chlorophyll applied to the cardboard
surface were developed as colorimetric indicators in packag-
ing, forming a homogeneous system without pores or defects
and good adherence to surface paper (Maciel et al., 2012).
The average grammage, average thickness, water absorp-
tion capacity (Cobb test), and Taber stiffness of coated Kraft
paper are given in Table 3. Langmuir and Freundlich’s mod-
els’ parameters fitted to the ethylene adsorption isotherm
experimental data are also presented in Table 3.
The zeolite concentration in the coating formulation had
a positive and significant effect on the grammage of coated
Kraft paper, increasing from 0.2% (− 1) to 1.2% (+ 1), pro-
moting a grammage increase in 4 g.m−2. The grammage is
considered an essential property in the commercialization
of paper, and higher values attributed to grammage reflect
greater effectiveness in the coating film formation (Battisti
-10 m- -10
(b) (c)
-10
 -10
(e) (f)
-1
(h)
13
 Food and Bioprocess Technology

et al., 2017). Similar results have been previously reported

0.932
0.999
0.999
0.999
0.998
0.999
0.999
0.995
for polystyrene coatings (Jimenez-Francisco et al., 2018) and

R2
curdlan gum (Brodnjak, 2017).

0.496
0.290
The coatings have increased by approximately 5%, the

0.429
0.981
1.081
1.014
1.021
0.295
average grammage of coated Kraft paper compared to UnKr.
Freundlich
n
The results confirm that the coatings increased 6% the aver-

0.012
0.010
0.013
0.128
0.124
0.119
0.120
0.010 age thickness of the Kraft paper sheets compared to UnKr.
K

Water absorption capacity indicates the resistance to water

of coated paper when it is directly in contact with water.

0.968
0.997
0.992
0.999
0.997
0.999
0.997
0.998

Chitosan concentration variable did not statistically reduce

2
R

water absorption. Therefore, the water absorption of NaY-

Table 3  Grammage, thickness, water absorption capacity (Cobb test), Tabber stiffness, and Langmuir and Freundlich parameters of active packaging systems

AgChKr decreased by 26% compared to UnKr. This good

3.123
7.469
3.423
0.033
0.014
0.018
0.020
6.228
KL

characteristic may be associated with the presence of zeolite

Langmuir

0.015 on the material surface.

0.011
0.016
4.005
8.648
6.385
5.775
0.011

The average thickness and water absorption capacity

qmax

(Cobb test) did no significant effects on independent vari-

ables (p < 0.05). The water absorption capacity is a property
6.96 ± 0.34
6.68 ± 0.35
6.78 ± 0.30
8.10 ± 0.28
7.62 ± 0.31
7.09 ± 0.37
6.53 ± 0.23
5.88 ± 0.29

that assesses the resistance to water penetration in the paper.

Taber stiffness (mNm)

This property is directly related to the physical integrity of the

CD

material since cellulose fibers are characterized by hydrophi-

licity, and water absorption reduces the strength of the paper
4.49 ± 0.35
4.31 ± 0.34
3.91 ± 0.33
5.01 ± 0.39
3.83 ± 0.27
4.32 ± 0.39
3.42 ± 0.35
3.20 ± 0.30

(softening of the matrix). Poly (β-1 → 4-D-glucopyranose)

units form cellulose, linearly arranged, and it is considered an
MD

abundant natural polymer (Vilarinho et al., 2018). Hydrogen

bonds connect cellulose fibers, and the formation of hydrogen
Cobb test (g·m−2)

bonds is one of the factors responsible for the responses of

paper properties, and the presence of hydroxyl groups also
reflects on their properties, giving rise to the hydrophilic
Freundlich parameters units: K [mmol de ethylene / (g of adsorbent · ­bar−n)]; n [adimensional]
61 ± 3
58 ± 3
58 ± 4
50 ± 3
49 ± 4
56 ± 3
56 ± 3
72 ± 3

nature of the paper (Shankar & Rhim, 2018; Shen et al.,

2021). Tests 3 (1.0% chitosan and 1.2% zeolite) and 4 (2.0%
chitosan and 1.2% zeolite) presented the lowest Abs values.
Thickness (µm)

This characteristic is associated with more zeolite applied to

Langmuir parameters units: qmax [mmol of ethylene / g of adsorbent]; KL ­[bar−1]

paper (1.2%, w/w).

333 ± 27
337 ± 20
336 ± 20
327 ± 26
326 ± 17
318 ± 15
330 ± 15
324 ± 20

The mechanical property of the active paper NaY-

AgChKr systems was evaluated by the flexural strength
(Taber stiffness in the machine and cross-machine direc-
Grammage (g·m−2)

tion). Taber stiffness is associated with the paper’s ability to

resist deformation when subjected to flexural stresses. Taber
stiffness is related to its structural strength and machinabil-
ity. Higher flexural strength values imply that the coating
202 ± 2
206 ± 3
204 ± 4
205 ± 3
206 ± 3
193 ± 4
198 ± 3
200 ± 2

acts as a reinforcement when the package is subjected to

not predicted events during its transport. The effect of the
variables (chitosan and zeolite concentrations) and their
Zeolite (%)

interactions on the flexural strength of coated active papers

1.2 (+ 1)
1.2 (+ 1)
0.2 (− 1)
0.2 (− 1)

0.7 (0)
0.7 (0)
0.7 (0)

were studied. Increasing the chitosan concentration in the

coating formulation from 1.0 (− 1) to 2.0% (+ 1) promoted
-

a positive effect (an increase of 4.1%) in flexural strength

Chitosan (%)

in the machine direction (MD), and increasing the zeolite

2.0 (+ 1)
1.0 (− 1)
2.0 (+ 1)
1.0 (− 1)

concentration from 0.2 (− 1) to 1.2% (+ 1) promoted a higher

1.5 (0)
1.5 (0)
1.5 (0)

resistance to flexion (7.42%) in the cross-machine direction

(CD). The coating application on the cellulose fibers of the
-

Kraft paper increased the strength, forming a more resistant

UnKr
Test

matrix. Khwaldia et al. (2014) and Lavoine et al. (2014)

7
6
5
4
3
2
1

13

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Food and Bioprocess Technology

found higher flexural strength values after making coatings 0.15 mmol/g) are verified in Fig. 2 using a pressure equal
on paper surfaces. to 1 bar. However, it is important to differentiate that the
values obtained in this study were in paper/chitosan/zeolite
Ethylene Adsorption Isotherms composite, containing a smaller amount of zeolite (ethylene
adsorber) on the paper’s surface.
The ethylene adsorption isotherms in active Kraft paper The concentration of ethylene adsorption isotherms was
(NaY-AgChKr) systems formulated based on experimental fitted to both models with R2 > 0.9. The parameters qmax and
design conditions and control (UnKr) are presented in Fig. 2. KL of the Langmuir model were evaluated to verify the effects
The isotherms were expressed about the adsorbate retained of the variables studied on these two parameters. Figure 3
by the adsorbent (mex) and the applied gas pressure (bar). presents the Pareto diagram for the variable’s effects on these
The Langmuir and Freundlich models were fitted to the two parameters in the adsorption capacity (qmax). The chitosan
experimental data (Freundlich, 1907; Langmuir, 1918), and and NaY-Ag zeolite concentration and the interaction between
the parameters of each model were determined, as well as the variables showed significant effects.
the coefficient of determination (R2) (Table 3). In test 4, the Increasing chitosan concentration from 1.0 (− 1) to 2.0%
active coating (1.0% chitosan and 1.2% zeolite) presented (+ 1) negatively affects ethylene adsorption, which may be
the highest amount of adsorbed ethylene. However, tests 5, associated with the hydrophilic chain of chitosan, which
6, and 7 presented overlapped curves. could prevent the ethylene access molecules to the zeolitic
It is essential to point out that the models showed a good
fit, and the qmax values were obtained at pressures substan-
tially higher than those used in the package systems. The
parameter models can be used to compare all the coatings
formulations, evaluating the effects of the independent vari-
ables on the parameters.
Erdoğan et  al. (2008) studied ion exchange clinop-
tilolites (a natural zeolite) powder with different cations,
obtaining ethylene adsorption capacity varying from 0.20
to 1.20 mmol/g depending on the zeolite cation. Aguado
et al. (2012) evaluated the adsorption capacity of ethylene
in AgA and AgX zeolites powder, observing maximum
adsorption capacities of 2.00 mmol/g for the same pres-
sure range. Results of the same order of magnitude were
observed by Yang et al. (2002) for zeolite 4A. Smaller val-
ues of the amount of ethylene adsorbed (between 0.10 and

Fig. 3  Effect of chitosan concentration and zeolite concentration on

Fig. 2  Ethylene adsorption isotherm of NaY-AgChKr systems formu- the responses: a maximum ethylene adsorption capacity (qmax). b
lated based on experimental design and uncoated Kraft paper (UnKr) Langmuir’s constant (KL) obtained from experimental data

13

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structure. However, increasing the zeolite NaY-Ag concen-
tration from 0.2 (− 1) to 1.2% (+ 1) increased the ethylene
adsorption capacity, and the ethylene gas can circumvent
the chitosan polymer chains and access to the zeolite’s
active sites. According to Sousa et al. (2020), chitosan films
(dried at 60 °C) showed the ethylene adsorption capacity
of 1.2 × ­10−2 mmol·g−1, and zeolite-loaded chitosan films
(33%, w/w and dried at 60 °C) adsorbed 2.3 × ­10−2 mmol·g−1
of ethylene at 3 bar. Even though this value has a low eth-
ylene adsorption capacity compared to other composites, it
may be viable for packaging applications. Chitosan-coated
paper sheets incorporated with zeolite and vanillin (used to
control mango anthracnose) were more efficient in manag-
ing and removing ethylene when compared to paper sheets
coated with chitosan vanillin and activated carbon as ethyl-
ene adsorbing agent Jaimun and Sangsuwan (2019).
X‑Ray Diffraction (XRD)
The diffractograms of X-ray diffraction of NaY-AgChKr
systems obtained based on different formulations proposed
by experimental design are shown in Fig. 4.
It was verified that only peaks related to the cellulose fib-
ers of Kraft paper composition do not allow the visualization
of peaks referring to zeolite NaY or chitosan. Similar results
were observed by Morsy et al. (2016) in silver nanoparti-
cles on the paper surface samples. According to Kaur et al.
(2017), the peaks 16.9°, 22.9°, and 35.2° correspond to the
Fig. 4  Diffractograms of coated
and uncoated (SR) Kraft paper
systems according to experi-
mental design
13
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Food and Bioprocess Technology
[110], [002], and [004] crystallographic planes, respectively.
They belong to the crystal form of cellulose I polymorph.
The first two are very pronounced in Fig. 4, but the last
one (35.2°) is very discrete. In addition to the two cellulose
peaks, it was verified that a tiny peak close to 6º corresponds
to the 111 plane of the zeolite. This peak is only observed
in test 3, which has a higher zeolite concentration. Test 4
presents the same amount of zeolite but has a higher concen-
tration of chitosan in the coating formulation, indicating that
twice of chitosan concentration makes it difficult to visualize
the zeolite peak. The smaller amount of zeolites (tests 1 and
2) did not allow the visualization of the zeolite peaks, not
even the central points that present intermediate concen-
trations of chitosan and zeolite. A minimal zeolite amount
was not possible to observe its characteristic peaks, only a
change in intensity in 2θ equal to 20° (Vicentini et al., 2010).
Experimental Design Analysis
According to the experimental design, all the active coatings
formulations formed a uniform surface on the Kraft paper
sheets. The active Kraft paper formulation was selected
based on the better ethylene adsorption capacity (KL) than
the maximum adsorption capacity (qmax). Chitosan and
NaY-Ag zeolite concentrations significantly affected the KL
parameter, and increased concentration of chitosan had a
negative effect on ethylene adsorption since the hydrophilic
polymer chain would be preventing the access of ethylene
Food and Bioprocess Technology
molecules to the zeolite structure. However, increasing the
concentration of zeolite had a positive effect on the adsorp-
tion capacity of ethylene. Moreover, test 4 (2.0% chitosan
and 1.2% zeolite) was the most efficient for ethylene adsorp-
tion with the highest KL value.
It was observed that the NaY-AgChKr systems from the
test 3 (1.0% chitosan and 1.2% zeolite) and test 4 (2.0% chi-
tosan and 1.2% zeolite) presented the lowest water absorp-
tion capacity value (Cobb test) and the highest Taber stiff-
ness value, indicating a potential application as packaging
materials. Thus, test 4 (2.0% chitosan and 1.2% zeolite) was
chosen as the one with the best performance and prepared
a packaging prototype for the packaging and study of the
shelf-life of cherry tomatoes.
Evaluation of Active Packaging Systems
over the Shelf‑Life of Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes from the Solanaceae family are a self-
pollinating plant and are one of the most popular vegeta-
bles in the world (Pobiega et al., 2020). Cherry tomatoes
are climacteric fruits and deteriorate rapidly after harvest.
Tomatoes are harvested at various maturity stages, including
green mature, breaker, turning, light red, and full red. The
most preferred stages for consumers are the light and full
red stages, which decay vastly after harvest. The maturation
process is related to the quality degradation of the fruit asso-
ciated with increased respiration and ethylene production
rates in (Shehata et al., 2021).
The color and size of cherry tomatoes were pre-selected,
and an average weight of 100 g of cherry tomatoes per unit
was packed in Kraft paper boxes (Fig. 5). The packaging
efficiency for NaY-AgChKr was determined based on the
cherry tomatoes’ shelf-life stability, measuring the ethylene
concentration (%) in the headspace of boxes, weight loss,
pH, texture, and instrumental color in the function of stor-
age time.
Fig. 5  Cherry tomatoes packed in Kraft paper boxes (coated and
uncoated systems)
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
Ethylene gas was determined from the 5th day of stor-
age. This analysis was carried out for 10 min for each coat-
ing system. However, for data analysis and treatment, only
the maximum value was recorded at the peak of ethylene
concentration. The results of ethylene content (ppm) in the
function of the days of storage are shown in Fig. 6.
The ethylene concentration inside the boxes has simi-
lar behavior to all packaging systems. A maximum ethyl-
ene concentration was observed at 20 days, followed by a
decrease. The NaY-AgChKr coating system had the lowest
ethylene concentration compared to all others during stor-
age days. This behavior may be associated with an efficient
adsorption capacity of ethylene by NaY-Ag zeolite. This
behavior has been previously identified in the characteriza-
tion of coated papers. In this sense, it is possible to estab-
lish an increasing order of efficiency of ethylene removal:
UnKr < ChKr < Sachet < NaY-AgChKr. These results sup-
port the hypothesis that the adsorbent’s dispersion through-
out the packaging space is much more effective than in the
form of an adsorbent sachet inside the packaging. It should
also be noted that the amount of adsorbent used in the inner
lining of the packaging is much lower than the amount
existing in a single sachet. The UnKr system was unable to
promote a reduction in ethylene concentration. On the 15th
day, the ethylene concentration for the UnKr system was
100 ppm, while the Sachet and Na-AgChKr systems were
25 and 15 ppm, respectively. García-García et al. (2013)
studied the polylactic acid (PLA) coating paper, verifying a
decrease in ethylene content over the days of storage instead
of a gradual increase.
The ethylene concentration will have an effect on adsorp-
tion processes, as well as on removers that act by chemi-
cal reactions, such as potassium permanganate. In general,
Fig. 6  Ethylene content in the box as a function of storage time in the
different packaging systems
13

potassium permanganate is incorporated in sachets and
simultaneously adsorbs the ethylene and then oxidizes it
to acetate and ethanol. It is important to consider that the
scavengers must be able to operate in systems with very
low ethylene concentrations. Even though the adsorption
or chemical reaction conditions are not optimal, removal is
possible and sufficient to capture ethylene. In the case of
sachets, the low ethylene concentration is compensated by
a large amount of remover inside the sachets. In the case of
the coatings (Na-AgChKr systems) in this work, the quantity
is compensated by the uniform distribution of the adsorber
over the entire internal surface of the package.
The studies in the literature quantified headspace packag-
ing gas using gas chromatography (Carvalho, 2015; D’Aquino
et al., 2016; Mahfoudhi & Hamdi, 2015), and innovative
measurement of ethylene concentration in the headspace of
the boxes was done using a meter in loco, characterizing an
easy, fast, and reliable quantification process. The physical
ethylene adsorption by NaY-Ag zeolite is caused by van der
Waals force through mesopores. The solid adsorbents can
adsorb distinct and consecutive adsorbate layers, filling the
pores with the adsorbate (Álvarez-Hernández et al., 2018).
The acidity (pH) is a critical factor in determining the eat-
ing quality of fruits and vegetables. Biochemical reactions,
such as hydrolysis, oxidation, fermentation, and decomposi-
tion, are usually responsible for acidity (pH) (Mukhopadhyay
et al., 2017). The pH of cherry tomatoes showed slight varia-
tions during the storage time for the samples in all packaging
systems. The initial pH of cherry tomatoes was 4.00. After
5 days, the cherry tomatoes packed in UnKr presented a pH
of 4.3. The pH of NaYAg-ChKr and ChKr systems samples
reached this value after the 20th day of storage. After 30 days
of storage at 25 °C, the cherry tomatoes’ pH package in UnKr
and sachet systems got 4.8. The samples packed NaYAg-
ChKr remained constant at 4.3, indicating an advantage of
the active packaging system for cherry tomatoes concerning
this crucial organoleptic parameter. The pH obtained in this
work was similar to those found in active packaging systems
of cherry tomatoes based on paraffin (Rodriguez-Lafuente
et al., 2010), cardboard coated with polylactic acid films,
and wrapped with low-density polyethylene films (García-
García et al., 2013) and modified atmosphere (Fagundes
et al., 2015a, b).
The weight loss of cherry tomatoes was analyzed in five
completely sealed sample boxes with different packaging
systems, ensuring constant analysis to measure the same
samples (Fig. 7). The complete sealing system forms a semi-
permeable film on the packaging walls, thus modifying the
internal atmosphere of the packaging and reducing losses
due to perspiration and dehydration of the fruit. Conse-
quently, there is a reduction in the passage of water through
the pores of the cardboard box (Aguilar et al., 2016; Elsabee
& Abdou, 2013).
13
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Food and Bioprocess Technology
Fig. 7  Weight loss of cherry tomatoes stored in the boxes as a func-
tion of the storage time in the different packaging systems
There was a weight loss of the cherry tomatoes in all
packaging systems studied. The weight loss is directly
related to the final quality of the fruit since it involves firm-
ness (texture), appearance, and low microbiological count
(García-García et al., 2013). After 30 days of packaging stor-
age, the weight loss of samples packed in the UnKr system
was more significant than in other systems (43%), and the
weight loss was in NaY-AgChKr boxes (29%). The weight
loss of cherry tomatoes (35% after 30 days) packaged in
the sachet and ChKr boxes was similar, indicating that the
ethylene adsorbent sachet and the chitosan film reduced
the weight loss compared to the cherry tomatoes packed in
UnKr. These results could be associated with the gas adsorp-
tion in the active packaging system (NaY-AgChKr), indicat-
ing the potential for cherry tomatoes’ ripening speed to be
delayed and, therefore, a prolongation of fruit senescence.
Several studies have reported the weight loss of cherry
tomatoes packed in coated materials. The tomatoes stored
in essential oils and paraffin packaging reduced the weight
loss (Rodriguez-Lafuente et al., 2010). Tomatoes packed in
cardboard coated with polylactic acid and wrapped with low-
density polyethylene (LDPE) reduced the weight compared
to uncoated packaging (García-García et al., 2013). Zhang
et al. (2017) studied the effect of rice bran wax coating on
tomato conservation, obtaining less weight loss for this
condition. The coating with hydroxypropylmethylcellulose
(HPMC) did not show reduced weight loss, associated with
the negative interaction of salts and the natural waxes pre-
sent in the fruit (Fagundes et al., 2015a, b).
The texture is a critical quality attribute of tomatoes, and
it is a fundamental parameter for their acceptability (Rather
et al., 2022). The texture property is related to the compo-
sition of pectic substances present in the fruit’s cell wall.
Food and Bioprocess Technology
These substances are solubilized in the harvest time, trans-
forming protopectin (insoluble pectin) into soluble pectin
by the polygalacturonase and other enzyme activities, caus-
ing softening of the fruit. The loss of firmness during stor-
age is the most noticeable organoleptic change in fruits and
vegetables (Nawab et al., 2017). The texture variation was
measured as function of storage time (Fig. 8).
The cherry tomatoes showed a reduction in compres-
sive force (firmness) as a function of time, which may be
associated with the metabolic changes induced by cherry
tomatoes’ enzymatic action and respiration activity (Choi
et al., 2015).
The firmness of all tomato samples decreases throughout
the 30 days of storage at 25 °C. However, the reduction in
firmness in the NaY-AgChKr tomato samples (40%) was
lower than that of the UnKr samples (50%). The coating with
NaY-AgChKr was observed to have a positive relationship
with retaining the firmness in the tomato samples during
storage. Our studies showed that the Kraft paper coating
with NaY-AgChKr enhances the barrier properties by pre-
venting gaseous exchange and moisture loss.
The texture maintenance was also observed by applying
edible coatings based on peach gum polysaccharides (Zhang
et al., 2017), in tomatoes packed in a modified atmosphere
(Majidi et al., 2014), and in tomatoes packed using soy pro-
tein films as a vehicle for an ethylene inhibition compound
(1-methyl cyclopropane) (Ortiz et al., 2013).
Color changes are indicators of the maturity of tomatoes.
Color is also a necessary criterion for choosing food prod-
ucts (Paulsen et al., 2019; Pobiega et al., 2020). The color
parameters (L*, a*, and b*) were measured on the surface
of the cherry tomatoes as a function of storage time in the
different packaging systems (Table 4).
Fig. 8  Texture profile of cherry tomatoes stored in different systems
during storage days
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
The quality of the tomato is related to the fruit's ripening
stage, as it defines the harvest time. The green stage (begin-
ning of color change) is considered the first visual indicator
for the maturation index, followed by the manifestation of
colors that vary from yellow to red. These color changes
are related to appearance and sensory properties, defining
their shelf-life and market price (Hutchings, 1999). Storage
time had a mixed effect on cherry tomatoes’ chromaticity
parameters (a* and b* values). The redness increased (a*
values), and the yellowness (b*) decreased in the function
of the storage time in all packaging systems. The red color
of cherry tomatoes could be linked with the degradation of
chlorophyll (green), carotene (orange), and lycopene (red)
accumulation indicating the ripening process (Albornoz
et al., 2019). Kaewklin et al. (2018) studied the quality of
cherry tomatoes wrapped in different chitosan films contain-
ing titanium dioxide ­(TiO2). After the 7th day of storage,
they verified significant differences in a* and b* parameters
for all samples (control, chitosan, chitosan/TiO2), associat-
ing with the ­TiO2 acts in the ethylene photodegradation.
After 30 days of storage, it is possible to observe that the
increase in the redness (a* values) of NaY-AgChKr samples
is lower (34.9%), followed by ChKr (60.0%), sachet (64.7%),
and UnKr (79.0%). Therefore, it can be concluded that the
rate of respiration or ripening was relatively controlled in
samples into Kraft paper coated than uncoated. The param-
eter a* in the sachet, UnKr, and ChKr systems showed a
significant increase after the 5th day of storage. It is only
possible to observe a considerable increase after the 15th
day for the NaY-AgChKr system. Rather et al. (2022) also
reported similar results while coating tomatoes with differ-
ent edible coating materials. The red color of cherry toma-
toes increased in modified atmosphere packaging (Akbudak
et al., 2012; D’Aquino et al., 2016; Fagundes et al., 2015a,
b; Paulsen et al., 2019).
Lightness (L* value) measures the amount of light
reflected from the surface of the cherry tomato relative
to that reflected from a white surface, with lower values
indicating a darker product. The L* decreased during the
storage period by approximately 12, 5, 10, and 9% for
sachet, UnKr, ChKr, and NaY-AgChKr, respectively. The
highest reduction in L* occurred for the sachet system,
and the lowest L* reduction occurred for the UnKr system.
According to Paulsen, Barrios, and Lema (Paulsen et al.,
2019), the decrease in the L* parameter is due to the for-
mation of lycopene, which contributes to the red color of
tomatoes due to its maturation.
It is possible to estimate the amount of active material
(adsorber) required for application based on test 4, which
was the material chosen for the shelf-life experiment. In
test 4, about 7 g of suspension (2.0% chitosan and 1.2%
zeolite) was applied on a Kraft paper sheet measuring
29.7 cm × 21.0 cm, representing approximately 0.135 mg
13
 Food and Bioprocess Technology

Table 4  Color parameters (L*, Packaging system Days Color parameters

a*, b*) of cherry tomatoes
stored in different packaging L* a* b* ΔE
systems
a a a
Sachet 0 40.9 ± 0.6 10.7 ± 3.2 19.6 ± 2.9 46.7 ± 1.9a
5 37.8 ± 1.5b 12.4 ± 2.6b 19.2 ± 3.6a 44.3 ± 2.7a
10 37.6 ± 1.6b 13.3 ± 2.5c 19.1 ± 2.1a 44.3 ± 1.9a
15 37.4 ± 0.5b 14.0 ± 0.4d 18.6 ± 0.7b 44.1 ± 0.7a
20 37.0 ± 1.4b 14.8 ± 2.0d 17.9 ± 1.7c 43.7 ± 2.0a
25 36.4 ± 1.1c 17.2 ± 2.6e 17.9 ± 2.2c 44.2 ± 1.8a
30 36.1 ± 2.0c 17.6 ± 2.3e 17.8 ± 2.2c 44.0 ± 3.1a
UnKr 0 40.4 ± 0.8a 10.7 ± 3.3a 21.0 ± 2.8a 47.0 ± 0.9a
5 39.9 ± 0.3b 12.8 ± 3.3b 20.7 ± 3.6b 47.0 ± 1.5a
10 39.7 ± 0.3b 14.5 ± 3.1c 20.4 ± 3.7b 47.1 ± 2.0a
15 39.0 ± 0.3b 15.2 ± 0.2d 19.9 ± 1.0c 46.4 ± 0.5a
20 38.9 ± 2.2b,c 15.4 ± 2.8d 19.4 ± 3.3c 46.2 ± 3.5a
25 38.4 ± 1.8c 16.5 ± 3.0e 18.3 ± 2.1d 45.7 ± 2.4a
30 38.3 ± 0.8c 19.3 ± 5.2f 18.1 ± 2.0d 46.8 ± 2.4a
ChKr 0 40.7 ± 4.2a 10.7 ± 2.6a 25.3 ± 7.6a 49.4 ± 7.3a
5 39.9 ± 3.2b 12.5 ± 2.8b 23.2 ± 7.0b 48.1 ± 6.1a
10 39.3 ± 3.1b 13.8 ± 3.0c 22.5 ± 5.2c 47.5 ± 5.1a
15 38.1 ± 1.7c 14.1 ± 2.9d 20.4 ± 1.6d 45.6 ± 1.8a
20 38.0 ± 1.2c 15.0 ± 3.2e 20.1 ± 4.1d 45.7 ± 3.1a
25 37.3 ± 1.5d 16.1 ± 2.8f 18.9 ± 3.5e 44.9 ± 3.4a
30 36.6 ± 0.8e 17.2 ± 2.8 g 17.5 ± 1.2f 44.1 ± 1.8a
NaY-AgChKr 0 40.7 ± 0.9a 10.7 ± 4.1a 24.6 ± 4.9a 49.0 ± 2.9a
5 38.4 ± 1.4b 10.9 ± 4.1a 23.1 ± 3.5b 46.3 ± 3.0a
10 38.3 ± 1.3b 11.3 ± 3.9a 23.0 ± 4.0b 46.4 ± 2.4a
15 38.1 ± 1.3b 12.6 ± 3.7b 21.9 ± 3.0c 45.8 ± 3.2a
20 37.9 ± 1.3b 13.0 ± 4.0c 21.0 ± 1.2c 45.4 ± 1.8a
25 37.4 ± 1.3b,c 13.8 ± 3.7c 20.5 ± 2.0d 44.9 ± 2.5a
30 37.1 ± 1.4c 14.5 ± 3.5d 20.3 ± 2.6d 44.8 ± 3.1a
a–g
 Different letters in the same column represent a significant difference (p > 0.05) between the means
obtained by the Tukey test

of zeolite/cm 2 . A cardboard box with dimensions of
40 cm × 39.5 cm × 34 cm has an internal surface area of
approximately 1 m ­ 2 (10,000 c­ m 2). This cardboard box,
if coated, would contain about 1350 mg of the adsorber
(1.35 g). This amount of adsorber is very small compared
to commercial sachets with 5 or 10 g of adsorber. It is also
important to note that many transport boxes require more
than one sachet per box. Our results showed that the coated
paper performed better than the commercial 5 g sachet
placed in a small 6.5 cm × 6.5 cm × 6.2 cm box.
Conclusion
The sustainable active packaging developed is a promis-
ing technology in the paper packaging industry, acting as a
partial replacement for commercial-coated Kraft paper that
applies synthetic polymer coating. The active coated Kraft
paper was characterized by reduced water absorption capac-
ity and improved stiffness. Incorporating silver-loaded NaY
zeolite in chitosan films as a coating on Kraft paper proved
to be a good and viable ethylene gas scavenger. Cherry
tomatoes packed in the NaY-AgChKr packaging system
show a lesser increase of a* value, indicating that NaY-AgCh
coatings have a prominent role in delaying the ripening of
cherry tomatoes and extending their shelf-life. The renew-
able source-based active packaging developed could be clas-
sified as sustainable, biodegradable, and recyclable, causing
low environmental impacts.
Author Contribution  Thalita R. P. Soares was responsible for carrying
out the formal analysis, investigation, validation, visualization, and
writing the main manuscript text; Andresa F. Reis, Jackson W. S. dos
Santos, and Eduardo G. L. Chagas were responsible for validation,
editing and writing the main manuscript text; Moises Bastos-Neto,

13

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Food and Bioprocess Technology
Rodrigo Silveira Vieira, and Rafaelle G. Santiago were responsible
by analysis and revising the manuscript; Rosemary A. Carvalho and
Anna C. Venturini were responsible by writing-review, editing, and
methodology; Classius F. da Silva was responsible by carrying out the
conceptualization, methodology, investigation, validation, and writing-
review; Cristiana M. P. Yoshida was responsible by conceptualization,
supervision, investigation, validation, writing-review, and editing. All
authors reviewed the manuscript.
Funding  This study was supported by São Paulo Research Foundation
– FAPESP (Grant #2016/25120–7, 2016/21073–4) and Coordenação
de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—
Finance Code 001.
Data Availability  The datasets generated during and/or analyzed dur-
ing the current study are available from the corresponding author upon
reasonable request.
Declarations  M. S. P., & Quadri, M. G. N. (2017). Gelatin-coated paper with
Conflict of Interest  The authors declare no competing interests.
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