JP2008199941A - Freshness retaining agent and freshness retaining method for agricultural product and horticultural product - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a safe and secure freshness retaining agent effectively exhibiting retaining action of the green color of agricultural products and horticultural products and antibacterial action while continuously suppressing ethylene concentration of the peripheral atmosphere of agricultural products and horticultural products, and comprehensively achieving continuous freshness retention of agricultural products and horticultural products. <P>SOLUTION: This freshness retaining agent for agricultural products and horticultural products comprises at least one kind selected from the group consisting of cinnamon, a cinnamon extract, cinnamylalcohol, coumarine, and cinnamyl acetate. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a freshness-preserving agent for agricultural products and horticultural products (hereinafter simply referred to as “agricultural and horticultural products”) and a method for maintaining the freshness of agricultural and horticultural products. More specifically, it effectively and continuously delays automatic deterioration such as discoloration and softening that occurs during transportation or storage of various agricultural and horticultural products, enhances the preservation of agricultural and horticultural products, and in addition, agricultural and horticultural products due to contaminating bacteria The purpose of the present invention is to provide a safe and high freshness-preserving agent for agricultural and horticultural products that is effective in preventing deterioration of the quality of rice.

  Conventionally, various techniques for maintaining the freshness of agricultural and horticultural products such as vegetables, fruits, and flower baskets have been studied from the need to increase the supply efficiency to these markets. For example, low temperature storage, gas concentration adjustment and refrigeration combined storage CA (Controlled Atmosphere) storage, packaging storage by film, etc. have been developed. However, the former two are often difficult to introduce due to the economic reason that the cost for storage increases, and it is still not a practical method. Further, in the case of packaging storage with the above-mentioned film, a simple CA effect is aimed at, but unlike full-scale CA storage, it is a method that relies only on the gas permeability of the film itself, and cannot be expected excessively. .

  As a means for maintaining the freshness of agricultural and horticultural products at a relatively low cost, the use of various freshness-preserving agents has been considered. Originally, the most effective means for maintaining the freshness of agricultural and horticultural products is to reduce ethylene, which is the cause of the deterioration of the freshness of agricultural and horticultural products. Therefore, most of the conventional freshness-keeping agents are intended to remove ethylene, but are often insufficient to achieve the freshness preservation of agricultural and horticultural products that are effective under a wider range of conditions.

  In general, it is known that fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits themselves generate ethylene and promote the deterioration of freshness of fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits that exist in the same atmosphere as the foods themselves. In order to reduce the ethylene concentration in the atmosphere where fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits are present, a method of removing ethylene and a method of suppressing the generation of ethylene are conceivable.

  As a method for removing ethylene, a method using a chemical reaction using a catalyst or an oxidizing agent, a physical method for adsorbing and removing ethylene using a porous material, or a composite method thereof can be considered. Each has problems such as safety, removal ability, and cost, and has been studied for many years, but no satisfactory one has been obtained.

  On the other hand, a method for suppressing the generation of ethylene itself is a method that has begun to be studied relatively recently, and it reduces the enzyme activity related to ethylene production in fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits, thereby reducing the ethylene concentration. As a result, it is expected to have a more universal and long-term effect, and the overall evaluation will be superior to the ethylene removal method.

  However, the above method still has a problem for practical use. Specific methods include applying genetic recombination technology and introducing antisense RNA into fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits to control the production of ethylene biosynthesis-related enzymes. Although it is conceivable to use inhibitors directly on fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits, the method using gene transfer technology needs to be studied under a wider cooperative relationship including public institutions. Yes, it cannot be used easily at general farmers and distribution stages.

  On the other hand, the method using an enzyme inhibitor can be used economically and relatively easily and is a method expected in the future. First of all, the development of an effective and safe enzyme inhibitor is not possible. is necessary. And second, at present, even if an enzyme inhibitor is simply allowed to act on fresh food such as vegetables and fruits, the enzyme inhibitor is blocked by the epidermis of fresh food such as vegetables and fruits. It is difficult to reach the enzyme protein in fresh foods such as, and it is difficult to exert its effect, so we must consider measures to improve accessibility between enzyme inhibitors and enzyme proteins.

  Furthermore, in order to realize safe and critically effective freshness of agricultural and horticultural products, it is possible not only to remove ethylene, but also to safely and effectively destroy contaminating bacteria that cause degradation of agricultural and horticultural products. A freshness-keeping agent that combines performance is necessary.

  Therefore, the object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, while continuously suppressing the ethylene concentration in the ambient atmosphere of the agricultural and horticultural products, and also effectively exhibit the green retention and antibacterial effects of the agricultural and horticultural products, It is to provide a safe and reliable freshness-keeping agent that comprehensively realizes the sustainable freshness preservation of agricultural and horticultural products.

  As a result of diligent research to achieve the above object, the present inventor has used cinnamon and a mixture containing cinnamon or a material containing cinnamon extract as well as a cinnamon ingredient as a freshness-preserving agent. The inventors have found that the problem can be solved and have completed the present invention.

That is, the present invention provides a freshness-preserving agent for agricultural and horticultural products characterized by containing at least one selected from the group of cinnamon, cinnamon extract, cinnamon alcohol, coumarin and cinnamyl acetate. In the freshness-keeping agent, cinnamon is at least one selected from cinnamon powder, cinnamon sticks, and cinnamon blocks; cinnamon powder is formed into a tablet; cinnamon is made in China or Vietnam That is, it is preferably compression-molded in a tablet form at 1 to 150 g per piece at a compression molding pressure of ² to 1,000 kgf / cm ² .

  The present invention also provides a method for maintaining the freshness of agricultural and horticultural products, characterized in that the freshness-preserving agent of the present invention coexists in the same atmosphere as the agricultural and horticultural products. In the freshness maintaining method, it is preferable to use 0.5 to 30 parts by mass of a freshness maintaining agent with respect to 100 parts by mass of agricultural and horticultural products.

  According to the present invention, natural cinnamon bark, an extract thereof, or a cinnamon component is used as a freshness-preserving agent for agricultural and horticultural products, and the ethylene concentration in the atmosphere of the agricultural and horticultural products is effectively reduced. Therefore, it is possible to produce a freshness maintaining effect on agricultural and horticultural products extremely safely.

  Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the best mode for carrying out the invention. The cinnamon used as a freshness-preserving agent in the present invention is prepared by drying the bark of a Cinnamomum genus plant and contains essential oil. As other names, cinnamon, cinnamon branch, meat katsura, nikki, etc. may be used, but these are also included in the cinnamon used as a freshness-preserving agent in the present invention. In particular, plants adopting scientific names such as Cinnamomum cassia Blume, Cinnamomum obutusifolium Nees, Cinnamomum loureirii Nees, Cinnamomum zeylanicum Ness in Well are preferably used. For example, Chinese cinnamon, Vietnamese cinnamon, Indonesian cinnamon, and Ceylon cinnamon are used, and Vietnamese cinnamon and Chinese cinnamon are particularly preferably used.

  As a form of cinnamon bark used as a freshness-keeping agent in the present invention, the above-mentioned dried bark may be crushed to an appropriate size and directly placed in the presence of freshness-holding material such as vegetables as a block or stick. More preferably, the dried bark is powdered cinnamon powder, and the cinnamon powder is used in the presence of a freshness-retaining substance such as vegetables and fruits. Also preferred is a method in which an appropriate amount of tablets, pellets, sticks and the like are molded from the cinnamon powder and these molded products are added to the freshness-preserving substance existing atmosphere.

  As a more preferred method, an extract is obtained from the above dry bark or cinnamon powder using a suitable extraction medium such as water, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, acetonitrile, or dichloromethane, and a film, sheet, paper piece, powder containing the extract is obtained. Also, there is a method in which a block, sol, gel, liquid, or the like is put in a suitable container in which air permeability is ensured, and this is placed in a freshness-preserving substance existing atmosphere.

  Examples of chemical components effective for maintaining the freshness of cinnamon include essential oil components. Examples of essential oil components include cinnamaldehyde, which is the main component, and cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl aetate, and coumarine, which are analogs thereof. Diterpenes and tannins are also known.

  Since these components are plant-derived natural substances, and cinnamaldehyde and cinnamon alcohol are also food additives, they are extremely safe substances. Therefore, these components are supported on a suitable carrier and are in the form of sheets, paper pieces, powders or granules, or liquids such as solutions, dispersions, and emulsions, and the same atmosphere as the freshness-retaining material such as fruits and vegetables If it coexists with, freshness preservation effect can be expected. In particular, cinnamaldehyde has an antibacterial and antifungal action (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-117125). Therefore, the freshness-preserving agent of the present invention is effective not only for maintaining the freshness of agricultural and horticultural products but also for maintaining environmental hygiene. Demonstrate.

  The freshness-keeping agent of the present invention is mainly composed of cinnamon bark or cassia bark, and is extremely safe. The powder may be sprayed as it is on the freshness-keeping material. The cinnamon powder is conveniently used by being included in the material, or the cinnamon powder formed into granules, pellets or tablets having a unit mass in the atmosphere containing the freshness-retaining substance is used. In addition, cinnamon is extracted with hot water, hot water, cold water, or an organic solvent, and this extract or an aqueous solution containing the extract is supported on a suitable support, and this is added to the freshness-retained substance existing atmosphere. In this way, the freshness-keeping component produced from cinnamon and / or cinnamon-derived products (cinnamon extract and cinnamon essential oil component) gradually spreads in the freshness-retaining material-existing atmosphere, and a remarkable freshness-keeping effect can be expected.

  The form of use of the freshness-keeping agent of the present invention is not particularly limited, but the cinnamon and cinnamon-derived products are supported on various carriers, antibacterial agents, antifungal agents, etc. as necessary, in a film form, It is used in sheet form, powder form, granule form, tablet form, etc., or in liquid form such as solution, dispersion liquid, emulsion liquid and the like. The amount of the freshness-keeping agent of the present invention is not particularly limited, but as a guide, there are differences depending on the type of agricultural and horticultural product, but it is about 0.1 to 100 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of agricultural and horticultural product. About 0.5-30 mass parts is especially preferable with respect to 100 mass parts of agricultural and horticultural products.

  In order to maintain the freshness of plants such as fruits and vegetables, it is necessary for the freshness-keeping plant and the freshness-keeping agent of the present invention to coexist in the same atmosphere, but the coexistence of the freshness-keeping plant and the freshness-keeping agent There is also no particular limitation on the mode, and examples thereof include a mode in which both are put in a plastic bag, or vegetables and a freshness-preserving agent that are directly put in a cardboard box are allowed to coexist in a container. In any coexistence mode, the amount of the freshness-keeping agent of the present invention is not particularly limited.

  The freshness-keeping agent tablet of the present invention is easier to handle and transport than the freshness-keeping agent in a powder state. Also, because it is more compact, it is more space efficient and takes up less space. Because of these advantages, the freshness-keeping agent tablet is used in a wide range of applications such as containers, cardboard packaging, and freshness-keeping bags as a highly practical shape.

The freshness-keeping agent tablet used in the present invention is prepared by compression molding one or more freshness-keeping agent component powders (including carrier powder). The machine used for tableting is not particularly limited, and any machine can be used as long as it has a function capable of being molded by compression molding a certain amount of powder components. The compression molding pressure at the time of tableting is related to the strength of the tablet, and it is necessary to tablet with an appropriate compression molding pressure so that the tablet does not collapse during transportation or handling. The compression molding pressure suitable for tableting the freshness-keeping agent of the present invention is ² to 1000 kgf / cm ² , more preferably 10 to 600 kgf / cm ² .

  A tablet of 1 to 150 g is used per tablet, but preferably 2 to 50 g of tablet is used depending on the application and usage. The amount of the tablet used is arbitrary, but is appropriately used depending on the size of the space used. The shape of the tablet is not particularly limited.

  The amount of the freshness-keeping tablet of the present invention is used in accordance with the amount of freshness-holding materials such as vegetables and fruits, but as a guideline, there are differences depending on the type of agricultural and horticultural product, but 100 parts by mass of agricultural and horticultural product The ratio is about 0.1 to 100 parts by mass relative to the mass.

  The cinnamon bark used in the present invention has a freshness maintaining effect, and also has an inhibitory effect on various pollutants such as fruits and vegetables. Therefore, by using this substance as a freshness-preserving agent, the generation of bacteria and wrinkles can be suppressed, and the freshness-keeping effect can be further ensured in combination with the ethylene generation-suppressing effect.

  It is considered that the freshness of plants by cinnamon is performed by the following mechanism. The generation of ethylene is related to an enzyme called phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL). PAL is also said to be an enzyme that causes senescence in plants. When the activity of PAL increases, the production of various secondary metabolites accumulated during the aging process, such as maturation of polyphenols and anthocyanin pigments, is promoted. The Ethylene is known to increase the activity of various enzymes including PAL. When ethylene switches on a gene responsible for aging, an enzyme related to ethylene biosynthesis [1-aminocyclopropane-1] -Carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase or ACC oxidase] is also activated, and the biosynthesis of ethylene in the plant is promoted. In other words, ethylene biosynthesis is further promoted by ethylene.

  On the other hand, cinnamaldehyde contained in cinnamon and its analogs such as cinnamon alcohol, cinnamyl acetate, and coumarin are considered to inhibit the activity of PAL, contrary to the action of ethylene. When the activity of PAL is inhibited, the ACC synthesis process and the ACC oxidation process are affected, and ethylene biosynthesis of the plant is suppressed. Therefore, cinnamon, cinnamon extract, cinnamon ingredients, etc. can coexist in the same atmosphere as agricultural and horticultural products such as vegetables and fruits and act on the agricultural and horticultural products, thereby suppressing ethylene generation from the agricultural and horticultural products. In addition, the ethylene concentration in the same atmosphere can be reduced, and the effect of maintaining freshness for agricultural and horticultural products can be expressed effectively and extremely safely.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples and Comparative Examples.
Example 1
Cinnamon products (powder, sticks, blocks: see Table 1) wrapped in Kimwipe (registered trademark) (laboratory paper pieces manufactured by Jujo Kimberley Co., Ltd.) in each 150 ml screw-mouthed bottle containing 20 g of fresh apple pieces. After adding 2.5 g each, the mouth of the bottle was sealed with parafilm (trade name: manufactured by American National Can). These bottles were allowed to stand at 25 ° C., and after 1 day and 5 days, the ethylene concentration in each screw cap bottle was measured with a gas detector tube (manufactured by Gastec). As a control, the ethylene concentration in a screw cap bottle containing only Kimwipe was also measured. The results are shown in Table 1. From the results in Table 1, it was revealed that the freshness-keeping agent of the present invention has an effect of reducing the ethylene concentration in an atmosphere where fresh apples are present.

Example 2
Put 2.5g of cinnamon powder (Vietnam) into the cylinder part of a small press machine (for making fluorescent X-ray measurement tablet) and squeeze it with a pressure of 215kgf / cm ² to make a tablet with a diameter of 32mm and a thickness of 2mm. did. One tablet was placed in a tea pack (“tea pack” manufactured by Seiyu Co., Ltd., polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester composite fiber, 95 × 70 mm). Another tablet was wrapped in a non-woven fabric (manufactured by Sanrex Kogyo Co., Ltd., polypropylene, thickness 150 μm).

  The above freshness-keeping agent tablet was placed in each of the 150 ml screw mouth bottles containing 20 g of apple pieces, and the mouth of the bottle was sealed with parafilm (trade name: manufactured by American National Can). These bottles were allowed to stand at 25 ° C., and after 1 day and 5 days, the ethylene concentration in each screw cap bottle was measured with a gas detector tube (manufactured by Gastec Corporation). As a control, the ethylene concentration in a screw cap bottle containing only the tea pack and the nonwoven fabric was also measured. The results are shown in Table 2. From the results in Table 2, it was revealed that the freshness-keeping agent tablet of the present invention has an ethylene concentration reducing effect.

Example 3
(Cinnamon warm water extract)
In a 100 ml conical beaker, 5 g of cinnamon powder (Vietnam) was added, 50 ml of distilled water was further added thereto, and the mixture was stirred in a hot water bath at 80 ° C. for 1 hour. After this, the supernatant liquid was No. The obtained filtrate was poured into a petri dish having a diameter of 90 mm, and a piece of Kimwipe (21.5 mm × 12 mm, manufactured by Tojo Kimberley Co., Ltd.) was put therein as an experimental paper piece. The filtrate was supported on a piece of paper. This was placed in a draft for 24 hours to completely evaporate the water, and the remaining test paper piece was used as a piece of cinnamon hot water extract-carrying paper. At this time, the mass of the cinnamon warm water extract measured from the mass difference between the test paper pieces before and after the cinnamon warm water extract was carried was 0.08 g.

(Cinnamon ethanol extract)
In a 100 ml conical beaker, 10 g of cinnamon powder (produced in Vietnam) was added, 50 ml of 70% ethanol was further added thereto, and the mixture was stirred with a stirrer at 25 ° C. for 2 hours. After this, the supernatant liquid was No. The obtained filtrate was poured into a petri dish having a diameter of 90 mm, and a piece of Kimwipe (21.5 mm × 12 mm, manufactured by Tojo Kimberley Co., Ltd.) was put therein as an experimental paper piece. The filtrate was supported on a piece of paper. This was placed in a draft for 24 hours to completely evaporate ethanol, and the remaining test paper piece was used as a paper piece carrying cinnamon ethanol extract. At this time, the mass of the cinnamon ethanol extract measured from the difference in mass between the test paper pieces before and after loading the cinnamon ethanol extract was 0.33 g.

(Ethylene reduction test)
The above-mentioned cinnamon ethanol extract-carrying paper piece and cinnamon hot water extract-carrying paper piece are placed in each of a 150 ml screw mouth bottle containing 20 g of fresh apple pieces, and then the mouth of the bottle is parafilm (trade name: American Sealed with National Can. These bottles were allowed to stand at 25 ° C., and after 1 day and 3 days, the ethylene concentration in each screw cap bottle was measured with a gas detector tube (manufactured by Gastec). As a control, the ethylene concentration in a screw cap bottle containing the above-mentioned untreated experimental paper piece was also measured. The above results are shown in Table 3. From the results in Table 3, it was revealed that the freshness-keeping agent of the present invention has an effect of reducing the ethylene concentration in an atmosphere in which fresh apples are present.

Example 4
Ethylene concentration reduction effect of cinnamon essential oil component Cinnamon aldehyde, cinnamon alcohol and coumarin, which are cinnamon essential oil components, were added to each of 150 ml screw mouth bottles containing 20 g of fresh apple pieces. As for the addition method, cinnamaldehyde is impregnated with 0.2 ml of cinnamon aldehyde in one piece of kimwipe (21.5 mm × 12 mm, manufactured by Toba Kimberley Co., Ltd.) as an experimental paper piece. I put it in the mouth bottle. As for cinnamon alcohol and coumarin, 0.3 g and 1.0 g were wrapped in the above-mentioned test paper pieces and added to the screw mouth bottle. Thereafter, the mouth of the bottle was sealed with parafilm (trade name: manufactured by American National Can). These bottles were allowed to stand at 25 ° C., and after 1 day and 3 days, the ethylene concentration in each screw cap bottle was measured with a gas detector tube (manufactured by Gastec). The ethylene concentration in the screw mouth bottle treated in the same manner as the screw mouth bottle for cinnamon essential oil component test was also measured except that one test paper piece was enclosed as a control. The results are shown in Table 4. From the results of Table 4, it was revealed that the freshness-keeping agent of the present invention has an effect of reducing the ethylene concentration in an atmosphere where fresh apples are present.

  According to the present invention, natural cinnamon bark, an extract thereof, or a cinnamon component is used as a freshness-preserving agent for agricultural and horticultural products, and the ethylene concentration in the atmosphere of the agricultural and horticultural products is effectively reduced. Therefore, it is possible to produce a freshness maintaining effect on agricultural and horticultural products extremely safely.

Claims (7)

  A freshness-preserving agent for agricultural and horticultural products, comprising at least one selected from the group of cinnamon, cinnamon extract, cinnamon alcohol, coumarin, and cinnamyl acetate.   The freshness-keeping agent according to claim 1, wherein the cinnamon is at least one selected from cinnamon powder, cinnamon sticks, and cinnamon blocks.   The freshness-keeping agent according to claim 2, wherein the cinnamon powder is formed into a tablet.   The freshness-keeping agent according to claim 1, wherein the cinnamon is made in China or Vietnam. The freshness-keeping agent according to claim 3, which is compression-molded to 1 to 150 g per piece at a compression molding pressure of ² to 1,000 kgf / cm ² .   A method for maintaining freshness of agricultural products / horticultural products, wherein the freshness-keeping agent according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is allowed to coexist in the same atmosphere as agricultural products / horticultural products.   The freshness-keeping method according to claim 6, wherein 0.5 to 30 parts by weight of a freshness-keeping agent is used with respect to 100 parts by weight of agricultural products and horticultural products.