Functional coating on Moso bamboo with superhydrophobic and high preservation effects: a case study of banana

Inappropriate storage methods can shorten the shelf life of fruits, leading to fruit waste. Ethylene is an important factor affecting the shelf life of fruits. In this study, a coating with a good ethylene removal performance was prepared using a simple two-step method on Moso bamboo. The ethylene removal mechanism of the coating was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and water contact angle (WCA) analysis. The banana preservation performance of the coating was analyzed by observing the appearance, quality, sugar content, and hardness of the bananas. This preparation method is simple, cost-effective, and convenient for large-scale production and applications. The results showed that the coating significantly extended the shelf life of bananas and reduced their visible browning. This coating reduces the loss of banana quality and minimizes the increase in sugar content and decrease in hardness during banana decay. The combination of superhydrophobicity and the preservation coating further enhanced the preservation of bananas.