Impact of organic acid cross-linking on the structure and functional properties of gum arabic and guar gum: Formulation of an edible coating for enhancing strawberry shelf life

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This study investigates the impact of organic acid modification on the structural characteristics and functional properties of a binary blend of gum arabic (GA) and guar gum (GG) by incorporating different ratios of organic acids including citric acid (CA), malic acid (MA), and tartaric acids (TA). Results revealed that organic acid modification of GA resulted in an increase in particle size with higher organic acid concentrations (1:2 w /w ratio compared to 1:1 w /w). Moreover, GA modified by CA exhibited the highest DS values from 0.79 ± 0.04 to 0.81 ± 0.09. SEM analysis revealed uniform particles with noticeable agglomeration, while FTIR confirmed successful carboxyl group incorporation and ester bond formation, contributing to enhanced structural complexity. TGA indicated improved thermal stability. Furthermore, application on strawberries revealed that the modified gum coating effectively maintained freshness of strawberries over 16 days of storage. Overall, these findings revealed potential of organic acid-modified gums to enhance their functional properties.