Sodium Alginate–Montmorillonite Composite Film Coatings for Strawberry Preservation

In this study, we prepared sodium alginate (SA) and montmorillonite (MMT) composite films for application in coatings for strawberry preservation. SA and MMT were used as the matrix and glycerol was used as a plasticizer. Six types of composite films with different MMT contents were compared by analyzing their mechanical properties, permeability, and preservation effects. The results show that the mechanical properties of the 10 and 20% MMT composite films were superior, with tensile strength and fracture elongation values reaching 63.09 and 48.06 MPa and 5.75 and 6.47%, respectively. Increased MMT content caused the water vapor permeability to decrease, while the effect on oil permeability was the opposite. A comparison of the preservation effect provided by the coatings showed that, on day 12, the weight loss, malondialdehyde content, and respiratory intensity of strawberries treated with the 20% MMT coating liquid decreased by 43.3, 25.8, and 57.1%, respectively, compared with the control. The contents of titratable acid, soluble sugar, total phenols, and soluble solids decreased by 25.8, 37.7, 25.9, and 14.5%, respectively. The results provide data support for the application of these new composite films as edible coatings for fruit preservation.