Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Technologia Alimentaria

Abstract The aim of the research was to study the influence of the pullulan and pullulan- -protein edible coatings on the reduction of the apples mass loss during the storage. The research was carried out on pullulan received from A. pullulans white mutant B-1 in a batch cultivation process and the ‘Malinova’ and ‘Champion’ apples. In the first stage of the research the apples were covered with 15% and 20% pullulan water solution and stor-age at 4°C and 22°C during 39 days. In the second stage of the research the apples were covered with pullulan-protein coating obtained from the mixture of pullulan and soy pro-tein. Apples covered with the pullulan-protein coatings were stored at the temperature of 2°C during 10 weeks. Mass losses of apples, durability of the pullulan and pullulan-pro¬tein coatings as well as changes in the appearance of the surface coating covered fruit in comparison with the one uncovered were evaluated. Pullulan edible coating significantly limited apples mass losses. Apples covered with coatings showed lower mass losses than the ones uncovered. The smallest mass losses were observed in apples covered with the coatings where the pullulan to protein ratios were: 6:4 and 5:5. It was observed that by adding protein to pullulan the coating stuck better to apples surface. During the storage process the protein-containing layer was less susceptible to crumbling and to peeling off.