# Preparation of Fresh-Keeping Paper Using Clove Essential Oil through Pickering Emulsion and Maintaining the Quality of Postharvest Cherry Tomatoes

## TL;DR

This paper presents a new fresh-keeping paper infused with clove oil that helps preserve cherry tomatoes by reducing decay and maintaining quality.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the development of a Pickering emulsion-based paper with clove essential oil for postharvest preservation.

## Key findings

- The Pickering emulsion paper showed strong stability and antioxidant activity.
- The paper reduced decay and weight loss in cherry tomatoes over 12 days of storage.
- It preserved sensory qualities, color, and vitamin C levels while inhibiting microbial growth.

## Abstract

This study focused on developing a Pickering emulsion fresh-keeping paper that contained clove essential oil (CEO). Cherry tomatoes served as the test material for assessing the preservative efficacy of fresh-keeping paper. The results showed that Pickering emulsion had strong stability. Additionally, the fresh-keeping paper had a good antioxidant activity and sustained-release effect on CEO. In terms of the preservation effect, 0.75 wt% CEO Pickering emulsion paper reduced the decay incidence and weight loss of cherry tomatoes during 12-day storage. Fresh-keeping paper could also play a positive role in protecting the sensory index and color difference of tomatoes. It slowed the decline rate of soluble solid concentration (SSC) and titrable acid (TA). The vitamin C (Vc) and hardness of preserved tomatoes using fresh-keeping paper were maintained at a high level. The paper also inhibited the growth of microorganisms significantly. Therefore, 0.75 wt% CEO Pickering emulsion fresh-keeping paper displayed considerable potential for application in the preservation of postharvest fruits and vegetables. It is a novel fruit and vegetable preservation material worthy of development.