Effect of Edible Coatings Based on Oxidized Cassava Starch and Vacuum Packaging on Physicochemical Properties of Minimally Processed Yam

This research studied the effect of edible coatings based on oxidized cassava starch and two conditions of packaging (vacuum and non-vacuum) on physicochemical properties of minimally processed yam. A factorial arrangement of 24 was applied to the following factors: oxidized starch of yucca (3 and 5%), ascorbic acid (0.5 and 1%), carnauba wax (0.1 and 0.2%), determining the physicochemical properties of minimally processed yam for 42 days. High concentrations of acid and wax decreased the pH and the acidity of yam by 10.2 and 5.25%, respectively. A vacuum packaging and high levels of wax increased the acidity by 10.8% and a non-vacuum packaging with the same level of wax deceased it by 5.76%. The moisture content increased by 3.24% and the total solids decreased by 2.48% in a vacuum packaging in low concentrations of wax, due to the weak barrier caused by wax at low concentrations. Weight loss increased with the time of storage, as a cut produces cells breakage which in turn, results in a greater moisture loss. Finally, 0.5% of acid and 0.1% of wax in the coating maintain the physicochemical properties of yam.