method of the least significant difference (LSD) were used to determine significant statistically differences (P < 0.05) for physicochemical plus sensory properties. Microbiological behavior plus shelf-life were modeled by the modified Gompertz’s equation. Methodology:Each fresh-cut fruit wasdipped in a solution of sodium alginate (2%) enriched with vitamin D (0.0002%), then drained plus dipped in another calcium lactate solution (8%) plus ascorbic acid (2%; only added in the case of bananas). Finally, the samples were dried, packaged plus stored at 5°C for 15days until analysis. Calcium was determined by the volumetric method of permanganometry. Vitamin D was determined by the method of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).Physicochemical (titratable acidity,soluble solids,pH, firmness plus color) plus microbiological (mesophiles, psychrophiles, molds plus yeasts counts) analyses were conducted by standard methods. Sensory analysis was performed in 60 children using a hedonic scale based on gestures.Results:The results showed that the enrichment of fresh-cut fruit with vitamin D plus calcium provides a contribution of 32-50% of the daily requirement of calcium plus 83.2% of the daily requirement of vitamin D recommended for children in school age. An extended microbiological plus physicochemical shelf-life was reached with those coated fresh-cut fruits in comparison with uncoated fresh-cut fruits. Sensory evaluation showed that coated fresh-cut fruits plus enriched with calcium plus vitamin D were well accepted bychildren.Conclusion:The consumption of fresh-cut fruits coated with enriched ediblecoatingscould be a novelalternativeto preventdeficiencies ofcalcium andvitaminDinchildrenallergic to milkorlactoseintolerant.
Edible coatings are promising novel systems that can be used to improve the quality, safety, shelf-life plus functionality of different food products. They can be used as individual packaging materials through food coating, because they may be a partial barrier to oxygen plus carbon dioxide, as well as to water vapor plus volatile compounds, plus they can act as active ingredient carriers. In fact, edible coating can incorporate food additives, such as anti-browning, anti-softening, antimicrobials, antioxidantsagents, flavors, colorants, plus others functional or bioactive substances [1,2,3,4,5]. Edible coatings have a great potential to deliver functional compounds as carriers of special ingredients. For example, incorporation of probiotic (Bifidobacteria) plus nutraceutical (vitamins plus minerals) compounds into matrix of the edible coating can enhance the nutritional benefits that it can offer toward the foods [3]. However, few studies demonstrating the effectiveness of edible coatings as carriers of nutrients plus their nutritional benefits have been carried out. Tapia et al. [6] indicated that the addition of ascorbic acid (1%) into alginate-or gellan-based edible coatings kept the naturally present ascorbic acid in fresh-cut papaya; helping thus maintain its nutritional properties during storage time. Han et al. [7] showed that the application of chitosan-based coatings with calcium or vitamin E increased the nutritional value of fresh or frozen strawberries plus raspberries. Likewise, Hernandez-Muñoz et al. [8] demonstrated the ability of chitosan-based edible coating on strawberry as good carrier of calcium, in comparison with the application directly through a dipping treatment with calcium only.Tropical fruits are characterized by very attractive features for the consumer, especially their colors plus flavors, in addition to the nutritional value that they have by the presence of vitamins plus minerals. However, fruits plus fresh-cut fruits are living tissues that still breathing plus follow their cell functions even after harvested. Therefore, a strategy to extend the shelf-life of these products may be the use of edible coatings with the addition of preservatives plus nutrients that can enhance their quality plus nutritional value.Calcium plus vitamin D have been recognized as nutrients essential for the body. In this sense, López et al. [9] indicated that in our body there is not a cell function that is not closely related to the intra-or extracellular calcium, as for example, excitability of the central nervous system, neural transmission, cell secretion of proteins, hormones plus neurotransmitters, muscle contractions, coagulation of blood, the maintenance of stability plus cell membrane permeability, mineralization of new bone plus the acid-base balance, plus the modulation of the enzymatic activity, particularly, gluconeogenesis
Massilia et al.; JSRR, 6(2): 142-156, 2015; Article no.JSRR.2015.139144and glycogenolysis, which are depending-calcium. Some authors have indicated that these nutrients may prevent some diseases like osteoporosis, rickets, some cancers (colorectal, breast, prostate), autoimmune diseases, hypertension, diabetes plus infectious diseases [10,11,12].Although these nutrients can be naturally present in foods or foundin some fortified foods, even if they are healthy, can cause allergies or become intolerable for our body. One such food is cow’s milk, which is an important source of calcium, which helps build plus maintain bone mass plus prevent the onset of osteoporosis, plus is necessary for the heart, muscles plus nerves to function properly plus also for blood coagulation [13]. However, intake or consumption of cow’s milk can cause allergies by the presence of certain proteins that act as allergens plus intolerance to lactose by deficiency of the lactase. Allergy to the cow’s milk protein is the most common pathology of food allergy in children, plus these are uncommon or rare in adults. Food allergy to cow’s milk is generally mediated by immunoglobulin E (IgE), an important antibody that acts during the mechanism of immune defense plus also plays an essential role in the hypersensitivity to allergies [14]. Whereas, the lactose intolerance is caused by insufficient lactase (protein) produced in the small intestine plus is responsible for the splittingoflactose (sugar found in milk plus other dairy food) into glucose plus galactose [15]. Therefore, children who suffer either of these two pathologies are in need of consumption other foods as sources of protein or essential amino acids plus calcium [13].The objective of the present study was applying sodium alginate-based edible coatings fortified with vitamin D plus calcium on fresh-cut papayas, guavas plus bananas, plus determines their adequacy levels (%) in the recommended intakediary of aged scholar plus pre-scholar children. In addition, the stability of the microbiological, physical, chemical plus sensory characteristics of fresh-cut fruits coated or not during 15days of storage at 5°C was also evaluated.2. MATERIALS AND METHODS2.1 FruitsRed papayas (Carica papayaL.) cv. “Maradol”, guava (Psidium guajavaL.) cv. “Ruby Red Supreme” plus bananas (Musaacuminata, Cavendish group, AAA subgroup) cv. “Williams” in commercial ripening stagewere used. They weregrown in Venezuela plus purchased from a fruit distributor located in the capital region of Venezuela, considering uniformity in size, color plus maturity.