JPH10117679A - Quality preserver for fresh food and quality preserver coating material - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a quality preserver and a coating material for quality preservation with which freshness of fresh foods can be maintained by using cinnamic acid and/or a cinnamic acid deriv. as the main component. SOLUTION: This quality preserver is obtd. by mixing cinnamic acid and/or a cinnamic acid deriv. (e.g. p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid and conifenyl alcohol) in a mixture solvent of water and alcohol (preferably ethyl alcohol in preferably 100: (25 to 400) mixing ratio). The coating material for quality preservation in total 100 pts.wt. is obtd. by mixing 0.001 to 10 pts.wt. of cinnamic acid and/or the cinnamic acid deriv., 0 to 0.3 pt.wt. of polyamine, 0 to 1 pt.wt. of a surfactant (preferably sodium oleate), and 0.01 to 10 pts.wt. of a binder (preferably spermine) in the mixture solvent of water and alcohol above described.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention delays automatic deterioration such as discoloration and softening of fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables which occur during transportation or storage, enhances preservability, and further reduces deterioration due to contaminating bacteria. The present invention relates to a freshness preserving agent and a freshness preserving paint for perishable foodstuffs such as vegetables and fruits which are effective for prevention and high in safety.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Up to now, fresh food products such as vegetables and fruits have been demanded to have an improved technique for maintaining their freshness because of the necessity of increasing the supply efficiency to the market. For example, CA that stores in combination with low-temperature storage, gas concentration adjustment and refrigeration
(Controlled Atomosphere) Storage, film packaging storage, etc. have been developed, but the former two are often difficult to introduce for economic reasons due to the rise in storage costs, and are still practical. Hard to say.

[0003] In the case of film packaging, it is good to use it in combination with refrigeration, but when stored at room temperature, fresh food products such as vegetables and fruits themselves produce a substance called ethylene which promotes deterioration of freshness. Therefore, the concentration of ethylene around fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits may increase, and the freshness holding effect may be negative. The former economic problem remains unsolved even when used in combination with refrigeration.

[0004] As means for maintaining freshness of fresh foodstuffs such as vegetables and fruits at relatively low cost, use of various freshness preserving agents has been considered. Most of these freshness preservatives are intended to remove ethylene, which is a cause of freshness deterioration, but many of them have insufficient effects, and practically, ethylene is used under universal conditions. There is a need for an ethylene scavenger that effectively reduces the concentration.

[0005]

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

(Reduction of Ethylene Concentration) In order to achieve freshness maintenance of fresh food products such as vegetables and fruits with a small economic burden, use of a freshness preserving agent is considered. First, the condition that the freshness-retaining agent should have is that it has an effect of reducing the action of ethylene, which is considered to be the main cause of freshness deterioration. Generally, it is known that fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits generate ethylene by themselves and promote freshness deterioration of fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits existing in the same atmosphere as themselves.
In order to reduce the ethylene concentration in an atmosphere in which fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits are present, a method of removing ethylene and a method of suppressing the generation of ethylene are considered.

As a method for removing ethylene, a method utilizing a chemical reaction using a catalyst or an oxidizing agent, a physical method of adsorbing and removing ethylene using a porous material, or a composite method thereof are considered. However, each has problems such as safety, removal ability, and cost, and has been studied for many years, but has not been satisfactory.

[0007] On the other hand, a method of suppressing the generation of ethylene itself is a method which has been relatively recently studied, and reduces the enzymatic activity related to ethylene production in fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits, thereby reducing the ethylene concentration. It is expected to achieve a more universal and long-term effect, and will be superior to the ethylene removal method in overall evaluation.

[0008] However, the above method has problems to be put to practical use. As a specific method, applying genetic recombination technology, antisense RNA
Possible methods include introducing them into fresh foods such as fruits and controlling the production of ethylene biosynthesis-related enzymes, and methods in which inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis related enzymes are directly applied to fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits. However, the method using gene transfer technology needs to be studied under a wider cooperation, including public institutions, and cannot be easily used in 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, an effective and safe enzyme inhibitor is used. Development is required. Secondly, at present, even if an enzyme inhibitor is simply applied to fresh food such as vegetables and fruits, the enzyme inhibitor is blocked by the epidermis of fresh food such as vegetables and fruits, Since it does not reach the enzyme protein in perishable foodstuffs, and it is difficult to exert its effect, it is necessary to consider measures to improve the accessibility between the enzyme inhibitor and the enzyme protein.

(Preservation of Chlorophyll) In considering the preservation of freshness of fruits and vegetables, as important as the effect of reducing the concentration of ethylene is the preservation of green, that is, the effect of retaining chlorophyll. The reason is that the degree of green color that is easily perceived by consumers is an indicator for judging the freshness of fresh food such as vegetables and fruits, and slight deterioration of green directly leads to a decrease in sales It is. Heretofore, it has been scattered that polyamines suppress the reduction of chlorophyll content in leaves of plants, but in fact, even if the leaves of plants are soaked in a solution of polyamine for a long time, the green color is maintained in leaves. The central part turns yellow only in the peripheral part. When a polyamine solution having a high concentration is used, the green color is retained, but the leaf tissue is damaged and the leaves are softened because polyamine is a strong base. Under such circumstances, it is difficult to use polyamines for fruits and vegetables, and some measures are required.

(Problems of broccoli) Among the fruits and vegetables, keeping green color of broccoli is particularly important. If the broccoli is left after harvesting, the florets turn yellow. It is known that ethylene is also involved in the yellowing of these florets, but since this yellowing occurs in a relatively short period of time and significantly degrades the quality, low-temperature transport (distribution) is essential. And is driving up transportation costs. Therefore, suppression of broccoli yellowing is strongly desired for cost reduction and more widespread distribution. Furthermore, malodor (sulfur compound) generated during storage (transportation) of broccoli is another cause of freshness deterioration, and an effective solution is expected.

[0012]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In view of such circumstances,
The present inventors have conducted intensive studies on such a freshness preserving agent. As a result, by using cinnamic acid as a freshness preserving agent, the generation of ethylene from fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits is suppressed, and as a result, vegetables and fruits etc. The present inventors have found that the ethylene concentration in the atmosphere in which fresh food exists can be reduced, chlorophyll can be suppressed from decreasing, and a green preserving effect of fresh food such as vegetables and fruits can be obtained, and the present invention has been completed.

[0013] That is, the present invention provides a freshness preserving agent for perishable foods comprising cinnamic acid as a main component, and a freshness preserving paint comprising a binder contained in the freshness preserving agent. I will provide a. A small amount of a polyamine and / or a surfactant may be used in the freshness-maintaining agent containing cinnamic acid as a main component in order to further enhance the freshness-maintaining effect. In use, fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits are wrapped or covered using paper to which the above-mentioned freshness preserving agent is applied by application or impregnation. Alternatively, the freshness preserving agent may be used by being applied to the inner surface of a container for packing fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits by application, impregnation or the like. Further, when the freshness preserving agent is directly subjected to immersion treatment of fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits, generation of ethylene from fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits is significantly suppressed, and fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits are produced. Deterioration of chlorophyll is also significantly suppressed.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to embodiments. The cinnamic acid used in the present invention includes cinnamic acid derivatives in addition to cinnamic acid. Cinnamic acid can be used in any state such as powder and solution, but cinnamic acid is preferably used as an aqueous solution in terms of efficacy and safety, but cinnamic acid has limited solubility in water. Yes (0.003 wt% at room temperature
For this reason, when the effect is more remarkable, when an alcohol such as ethyl alcohol is added, cinnamic acid can be dissolved up to about 10% by weight. The above solution can be used as a freshness preservative as it is, but after further adding a water-soluble binder such as water-soluble cellulose or chitosan (about 1 to 2% by weight) to obtain a coating, the coating is used as it is or appropriately. Dilute and use directly for immersion treatment (including spraying) of fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits, or apply to or impregnate fresh food such as vegetables and fruits on the inner surface of containers and wrapping paper. .

As described above, when the freshness preserving agent of the present invention is allowed to act on fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits, the freshness preserving agent or paint prevents the presence of fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits due to the effect of inhibiting ethylene biosynthesis. The increase in ethylene concentration in the atmosphere is suppressed, delay in freshness deterioration of fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits is realized, and deterioration of chlorophyll in fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits is also suppressed, and fresh green is maintained. You. Further, at this time, the antibacterial and antifungal properties of the freshness preserving agent or the paint also effectively act, and the generation of malodorous substances from fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits is suppressed.

A polyamine, a surfactant or the like may be added to the freshness retaining agent or paint. By doing this,
The effect of suppressing the generation of ethylene gas from fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits and the effect of suppressing chlorophyll degradation are further enhanced, and at the same time, the accessibility of active substances to fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits is improved, resulting in more effective results Is obtained.

Further, in the case where a cinnamic acid derivative is used in place of cinnamic acid in the above-mentioned freshness preserving agent or paint, the effect similar to that in the case where cinnamic acid is used can be expected, though the degree of difference is different. The optimal cinnamic acid derivative can be appropriately selected depending on the situation. Furthermore, the most remarkable effect may be exhibited when citric acid and a cinnamic acid derivative are used in combination.

The cinnamic acid derivative as referred to in the present invention refers to a substance having a similar chemical structure derivable from cinnamic acid, such as p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, sinapinic acid, coniferyl alcohol, sinapyr alcohol, p-Coumaryl alcohol, phenylalanine and the like.

The alcohol used in the present invention is optional, but ethyl alcohol which is safe and has no odor effect is desirable. The solvent for the freshness preserving agent is a mixed solvent of water and alcohol, and the weight ratio of the former: the latter is 100:
Those having 25 to 400 are preferred. The binder used in the paint of the present invention is also optional, but water-soluble cellulose and chitosan are preferred. The polyamine used in the present invention is a known compound, and includes spermine, spermidine, putrescine and the like, with spermine being particularly preferred.

The surfactant used in the present invention is optional, but is preferably a highly safe one which can be produced from a natural product. Sodium and potassium salts such as oleic acid and stearic acid, lignin sulfonic acid, Saponin and the like can be mentioned, and particularly preferred is sodium oleate.

When cinnamic acid is used as a paint in the present invention, cinnamic acid, water and / or alcohol,
And a binder, and if necessary, a polyamine and / or
Alternatively, a mixed solution containing a surfactant is prepared, and the solution to be processed (packing material or container, or fresh food itself such as vegetables or fruits) is immersed, coated, sprayed, machined, or the like according to a conventional method as it is or appropriately diluted. ) Is coated with a paint, and after draining, the object to be processed is air-dried or left.

The amounts of the components in the paint are not particularly limited, but generally 100 to 10 parts by weight of cinnamic acid and 0 to 0.3 of polyamine based on the total amount of 100 parts by weight.
Parts by weight, preferably 0.0001 to 0.1 parts by weight, 0 to 1 part by weight of a surfactant, preferably 0.001 to 0.1 parts by weight, 0.01 to 10 parts by weight of a binder, preferably 0.1 to 0.1 parts by weight. To 5 parts by weight, particularly preferably 2 parts by weight of cinnamic acid, 0.02 part by weight of polyamine, 0.05 part by weight of surfactant
Parts by weight and 2 parts by weight of a binder. As a preferable combination of the blending, as the freshness preserving agent, cinnamic acid + water + alcohol, cinnamic acid + water + alcohol + surfactant are preferable,
On the other hand, the paint is preferably a combination of cinnamic acid + water + alcohol + binder, cinnamic acid + water + alcohol + binder + surfactant, or cinnamic acid + water + alcohol + binder + polyamine + surfactant. The composition of these freshness-maintaining agents or paints can be appropriately selected in consideration of the method of using freshness-keeping, the object, and the like. Further, the freshness retaining agent and the paint of the present invention can contain various additives as necessary. The amounts of the freshness-maintaining agent and the paint of the present invention are not particularly limited.

[0023]

Next, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples and comparative examples. In the following, "parts" and "%" are based on weight unless otherwise specified. Example 1 An apple piece (40 g) was placed in a 100 ml conical beaker, and cinnamic acid, sodium oleate, spermine,
A treatment solution in which chitosan or the like was dissolved at a predetermined concentration shown in the following table was poured, and the beaker was almost filled. The apple pieces were immersed in the treatment solution for 5 minutes, and then the treatment solution was discarded and the mouth of the conical beaker was sealed with parafilm. After leaving this beaker at 25 ° C. for 24 hours, the ethylene concentration in the beaker was measured using a gas detector tube (manufactured by Gastec).
Was measured. The result is apple piece 4 without immersion treatment.
The results are shown in Table 1 in comparison with the results of the control using 0 g (Comparative Example).

Table 1 Suppression of ethylene generation from apple pieces 処理 Treatment Type of liquid Ethylene concentration in conical beaker ──────────────────────────────────── Control 100ppm ───ケ イ Cinnamic acid 0.2 mM 25 ppm ─────────── ０．２ 0.2 mM cinnamic acid, 0.05% sodium oleate 25 ppm or less ────────── 0.2 Traces of cinnamic acid 0.2mM, sodium oleate 0.05%, spermine 0.12mM ───────── ────────── ───────────────── Cinnamic acid 1%, chitosan 1% ^{* 1)} 25ppm ───────────────────── * 1) Filtrate obtained by dissolving and filtering the precipitate

As is apparent from these results, when apples were immersed in a cinnamic acid solution, a mixed solution of cinnamic acid and sodium oleate, or a mixed solution of cinnamic acid, sodium oleate and spermine, ethylene from the apples was converted into ethylene. Occurrence is sufficiently suppressed.

Example 2 In a 100 ml conical beaker, 40 g of mini tomatoes (3
), And a treatment solution in which cinnamic acid and sodium oleate were dissolved at predetermined concentrations shown in the following table was poured into the mixture, and the beaker was almost filled. After leaving the tomatoes immersed in the treatment liquid for 5 minutes, the treatment liquid was discarded and the mouth of the conical beaker was sealed with parafilm. After the beaker was left at 25 ° C. for 24 hours, the ethylene concentration in the beaker was measured with a gas detector tube (manufactured by Gastec). The results are shown in Table 2 in comparison with the results of the control using 40 g of mini tomatoes without immersion treatment and the results of the case where 40 g of mini tomatoes were immersed in water.

Table 2 Suppression of ethylene generation from cherry tomatoes ──────────────────────────────────── Treatment Type of liquid Ethylene concentration in conical beaker ──────────────────────────────────── Control 75ppm ─── ───────────────────────────────── Water 75ppm ───────────────ケ イ Cinnamic acid 0.1 mM, sodium oleate 0.05% 50 ppm ─────────────── ───────────────────── 0.2 mM cinnamic acid, 0.05% sodium oleate 25 ppm ─────────────── ──────────── ──────── This result is apparent, when immersing the tomatoes in a mixed solution of cinnamic acid and sodium oleate, ethylene production from tomatoes is sufficiently suppressed.

Example 3 150 ml paper cup (7.0 cm in diameter, 8.0 c in length)
m) is coated with a cinnamic acid solution mixed with a binder (cinnamic acid 1.5%, water-soluble cellulose 2.0%, ethanol 50%, water 46.5%), and air-dried.
Cinnamic acid coated paper cups were used. 65 g of apple pieces are placed in the cinnamic acid-coated paper cup, and the paper cup containing the apple pieces is further placed in a 300 ml beaker (9.5 cm diameter).
m, length 11.2 cm). After closing the mouth of the beaker with a parafilm and leaving it at 23 ° C. for 4 days, the ethylene concentration in the beaker was measured with a gas detector tube (manufactured by Gastec). The results are shown in Table 3 in comparison with the results obtained when the same amount of apple pieces were put in a normal paper cup to which the cinnamic acid solution was not applied.

Table 3 Ethylene generation inhibitory effect of the cinnamic acid solution coating treatment処理 Treatment of paper cups Ethylene concentration in beaker after 4 days ──────────────────────────────────── Application of citric acid solution 50ppm 無 し No application (control) 100ppm ───結果 As is evident from the results, the paper cup When an apple piece is added, the generation of ethylene from the apple piece is sufficiently suppressed.

Example 4 10 g of broccoli immersed in a processing solution such as a cinnamic acid solution or a mixed solution of cinnamic acid and oleic acid for 5 minutes was added to 10 g of broccoli.
The mixture was placed in a 0 ml conical beaker, the mouth was closed with paraffin, and then left at 25 ° C. in a dark room. After one day and three days, the concentration of methyl mercaptan in the beaker was measured using a gas detector tube (manufactured by Gastec). The results are shown in Table 4 in comparison with the results of the control using broccoli without immersion treatment.

Table 4 Inhibition of methyl mercaptan generation from broccoli ──────────────────────────────────── methyl Mercaptan concentration 種類 Type of treatment solution After 1 day After 3 days ───────────────────────── ─────────── Control 5.0ppm 5.0ppm ───────────ケ イ Cinnamic acid 0.2 mM, sodium oleate 0.05% 0.5 ppm or less 0.5 ppm or less ─────────────────────────よ う As is clear from the results, when broccoli is immersed in a mixed solution of cinnamic acid and sodium oleate, The generation of mercaptan can be sufficiently suppressed.

Example 5 A citric acid solution, a sodium oleate solution and 30 ml of a mixed solution thereof were placed in a petri dish having a diameter of 9 cm, and the cotyledon portion of the Japanese radish was floated on the solution, and the petri dish was covered. This petri dish was left in a dark room at 25 ° C., and two days later, the chlorophyll content of cotyledons was measured. Table 5 shows the results.
It was shown to.

Table 5 Preservation of Chlorophyll in Japanese Radish Cotyledon Treatment Type of liquid Chlorophyll content ──────────────────────────────────── Water 10.1mg / 100g ^{* 1)} ──────────────────────────────────── 0.2 mM cinnamic acid 15.3 mg / 100 g ──── ──────────────────────────────── 0.2 mM citric acid, sodium oleate 0.05% 44.9 mg / 100 g ─── ───────────────────────────────── * 1): Amount of chlorophyll extracted with alcohol / fresh material Like, kaiware When radish is immersed in a cinnamic acid solution and / or a mixed solution of cinnamic acid and oleic acid, chlorophyll degradation can be sufficiently suppressed.

Example 6 10 g of broccoli immersed in a treatment liquid such as a cinnamic acid solution or a mixed solution of cinnamic acid and oleic acid for 5 minutes was added to 10 g of the broccoli.
It was placed in a 0 ml screw cap bottle, loosely covered, and left in a dark room at 25 ° C. Three days later, the broccoli was taken out and its chlorophyll content was measured by a conventional method. Measure the chlorophyll content of broccoli not subjected to immersion treatment for comparison,
This value was used as a control. Table 6 shows the results.

Table 6 Retention of chlorophyll in broccoli Kind Chlorophyll content ──────────────────────────────────── Control 24.6mg / 100g ^{* 1)} ── ────────────────────────────────── Cinnamic acid 0.2 mM 37.8 mg / 100 g ────── ────────────────────────────── 0.2 mM cinnamic acid, 0.05% sodium oleate 42.2 mg / 100 g ───── 0.4 0.4 mM citric acid, sodium oleate 0.1% 48.7 mg / 100 g ──── ───────── ────────────────────── * 1): Amount of chlorophyll extracted with alcohol / fresh material As is clear from the results, broccoli was added to cinnamic acid solution and / or Alternatively, when immersed in a mixed solution of cinnamic acid and oleic acid, deterioration of chlorophyll of broccoli can be sufficiently suppressed.

Example 7 A cinnamic acid solution in which a binder was mixed into high quality paper (A4) (coating solution: citric acid 0.5%, water-soluble cellulose 2.
0%, Ascorbic acid 1.0%, Ethanol 30%, Water 66.5%, Coating solution: 1% cinnamic acid and 1% chitosan ("Daikitosan, VL type" manufactured by Dainichi Seika Kogyo Co., Ltd.) After dissolving in water, the mixture was cooled to room temperature, and the resulting precipitate was separated by filtration to obtain a coating solution. )
It was air-dried to obtain cinnamic acid coated paper. Using this cinnamic acid-coated paper, a 1/3 strain (60 g) of broccoli is wrapped with the coated side inward, and this is further packaged in a food packaging film ("Saran Wrap" manufactured by Asahi Kasei Kogyo Co., Ltd.).
Packaged. This was left at 25 ° C. in a dark room, and two days later, the chlorophyll content in the broccoli was measured and compared with the chlorophyll content (control) in broccoli wrapped in high-quality paper not coated with the cinnamic acid solution. Table 7 shows the results.

Table 7 Green holding effect of cinnamic acid coated paper Kind of liquid Chlorophyll content Control 27.4mg / 100g ^{* 1)} ──────────────────────────────────── Coating solution 32.2mg / 100g ─────── ───────────────────────────── Coating solution 28.9mg / 100g ────────────── ────────────────────── * 1): Amount of chlorophyll extracted from alcohol / fresh material As is clear from these results, broccoli was coated with cinnamic acid-coated paper. Chloro when wrapped Can sufficiently suppress deterioration of the I-le, green may be held sufficiently.

Example 8 Empty box of 500 ml small milk pack (10.4 × 7.0)
× 7.0 cm) and dried. A cinnamic acid solution mixed with a binder inside the box (coating solution: cinnamic acid 0.5%, water-soluble cellulose 2.0%, ascorbic acid 1.0%, ethanol 30%, water 66.5%, coating Liquid: 1% cinnamic acid and 1% chitosan ("Daichitosan, VL type" manufactured by Dainichi Seika Kogyo Co., Ltd.) are dissolved in water by heating, then cooled to room temperature, and the resulting precipitate is filtered and applied. And dried naturally to obtain a cinnamic acid-coated box. Broccoli (20 g) was put into the cinnamate coated box, and the mouth of the box was closed with paper tape. After leaving it in a dark room at 25 ° C. for 2 days, the chlorophyll content in broccoli was measured and compared with the chlorophyll content (control) in broccoli placed in a box not coated with cinnamic acid solution. Table 8 shows the results.

Table 8 Green holding effect of cinnamate coated box Kind of liquid Chlorophyll content ──────────────────────────────────── Control 27.6mg / 100g ^{* 1)} ──────────────────────────────────── Coating solution 40.7mg / 100g ─────── ───────────────────────────── Coating solution 47.5mg / 100g ────────────── ────────────────────── * 1): Amount of chlorophyll extracted with alcohol / fresh material As is clear from these results, broccoli was placed in the cinnamic acid-coated box. When you save The degradation of chlorophyll can be sufficiently suppressed, green and sufficiently maintained.

Example 9 150 ml paper cup (7.0 cm in diameter, 8.0 c in length)
m) is coated with a cinnamic acid solution mixed with a binder (cinnamic acid 2.0%, water-soluble cellulose 2.0%, ethanol 50%, water 46.0%) and air-dried,
Cinnamic acid coated paper cups were used. Broccoli (20 g) was put into the cinnamic acid-coated paper cup, and the mouth of the paper cup was covered with a food packaging film ("Saran Wrap" manufactured by Asahi Kasei Kogyo Co., Ltd.) and fixed with a rubber band. This was left in a dark room at 25 ° C., and the chlorophyll content in broccoli was measured over time. For comparison, the chlorophyll content in broccoli placed in a paper cup to which the cinnamic acid solution was not applied was determined as a control. Table 9 shows the results.

Table 9 Green holding effect of cinnamic acid coated paper cup Chlorophyll content (mg / 100g) ^{* 1)} ─────────────────────────── Number of days left 0 days 1 day 2 days 3 days 4 days 5 Day 6 Day ──────────────────────────────────── Control 54.7 43.9 29.2 22.9 1.5 * 2) * 2 ) ──────────────────────────────────── Cinnamic acid 2% −− 54.8 47.7 41.8 25.8 19.8 10.6 ─ ─────────────────────────────────── 1): Amount of chlorophyll extracted with alcohol / fresh material * 2) : Not measured As can be seen from the results, citric acid coated paper When broccoli is preserved during packing, deterioration of chlorophyll can be sufficiently suppressed and green color can be sufficiently maintained.

Example 10 Cinnamic acid solution in which a binder was mixed in high quality paper (A4) (coating solution: 0.5% cinnamic acid, water-soluble cellulose 2.
0%, Ascorbic acid 1.0%, Ethanol 30%, Water 66.5%, Coating solution: 1% cinnamic acid and 1% chitosan ("Daikitosan, VL type", manufactured by Dainichi Seika Kogyo Co., Ltd.) After dissolving in water, the mixture was cooled to room temperature, and the resulting precipitate was separated by filtration to obtain a coating solution. )
It was air-dried to obtain cinnamic acid coated paper. Using this cinnamate coated paper, one banana was wrapped with the application side inside, and this was further wrapped with a food packaging film ("Saran Wrap" manufactured by Asahi Kasei Kogyo Co., Ltd.). After leaving this in a dark room at 25 ° C. for 4 days, the package was opened and the condition of the banana was observed. The results were compared with the control banana situation wrapped in high quality paper not coated with the cinnamic acid solution. Table 10 shows the results.

Table 10 Banana Quality Deterioration Suppression Effect by Cinnamic Acid-Coated Paper ── Coating solution Condition of banana surface Condition of pulp ──────────────────────────────────── Control ground Yellow, black spots Soft, but countless ──────────────────────────────────── Coating solution Cream-colored and slightly hard ──────────────────────────────────── Application liquid Cream-colored and slightly hardを As is evident from the results, banana was Wrapped in banana It is possible to sufficiently suppress the reduction.

[0044]

According to the present invention, the generation of ethylene from fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits is sufficiently suppressed, and the ethylene concentration in the atmosphere where fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits are present is reduced. The present invention can provide an excellent freshness-preserving agent which suppresses the decrease in water content and also has a green-retaining effect.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A freshness preserving agent for perishable foods comprising cinnamic acid and / or a cinnamic acid derivative (hereinafter simply referred to as cinnamic acid) as a main component. 2. The freshness preserving agent according to claim 1, wherein the cinnamic acid is in the form of a solution or a dispersion. 3. The fresh food preserving agent according to claim 1, wherein the solution or dispersion of cinnamic acid further contains a surfactant. 4. The freshness preserving agent according to claim 1, wherein the solution or dispersion of cinnamic acid further contains a polyamine. 5. A paint for maintaining freshness of a fresh food product, characterized in that a binder is contained in the freshness retaining agent according to claim 1.