Effect of Edible Coating from Cassava Starch and Babassu Flour (Orbignya phalerata) on Brazilian Cerrado Fruits Quality

New edible coatings made of cassava starch and babassu flour were applied on cagaita and mangaba, two typical fruits from the Brazilian Cerrado, by dipping method. The effect of the babassu flour concentration (10, 30, or 50 g/100 g of starch) on the properties of coated fruits were studied. Fruits treated with cassava starch coating added with 50% babassu flour provided the most satisfactory results in terms of weight loss: mass loss was only 14% and 7% for cagaitas and mangabas, respectively. Meanwhile, uncoated fruits experienced greater weight loss up to 35%, indicating water loss due to product degradation during storage period and led to weight loss. Therefore, edible coatings protected fruits from dehydration. Uncoated fruits had the highest increase in a* parameter, which provided them with a more reddish color and faster ripening rate. Total soluble solids were stable for coated fruits along storage. All treatments showed an increase in pH values attributed to the degradation of organic acids in fruits. These results are in agreement with the acidity reduction reported for mangabas. Unlike mangabas, acid values increased in cagaitas which was associated with galacturonic acid formation by pectinesterase. Overall, cassava starch added with babassu flour is a promising material to produce edible coatings with adequate physical properties for food applications.