Assessment of Shellac and Lemongrass Oil Blend as Edible Coating to Prolong Shelf Life of Pili Nut (Canarium ovatum)

Abstract

Shelf life in ground and tree nuts are often assessed based on aesthetic appearance, nut integrity, color and most importantly, taste and edibleness. Nuts with considerable level of rancidity and free fatty acids due to degradation of oils indicate expiration or decay. We prepared a shellac-lemongrass oil blend coating using food-grade ingredients and assessed its potential to extend shelf life of Pili nut (Canarium ovatum) kernels. A glossy, hard but considerably brittle coating for the pili kernels were prepared with varying numbers of layers. On average, the mass of coating added per dip is 0.10 g, and the thickness of 5-layers of coating is 0.3 mm. The obtained reflectance spectra of the coated pili kernels implied the translucent nature of the coating, but becomes opaque as the number of layers are increased. Peroxide value (PV) and free fatty acid value (FFAV), were also measured at 10 days after application of coating. PV was lowest in the nuts with 5 coating layers, while this treatment did not reduce FFAV. These results indicate the effectiveness of our coatings in preventing peroxide production probably by blocking oxygen penetration and ultraviolet exposure, which are important triggers production of peroxide and other free radicals. Further tests and time-series experiments are planned to assess the dynamics of peroxide levels and the overall potential of our coating technology for Pili nut.