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2026 Vol.58, Issue 4 Preview Page

Original Paper

Enhancing the Quality of Pulp-Mold Packaging for the Export of Horticultural Produce by Using Citrus Pomace Fibers and Functional Surface Coatings

과채류 수출 포장을 위한 감귤박 섬유 및 기능성 코팅 적용을 통한 펄프몰드 포장재 품질개선 연구

So Hyun Kim1
,
Myeong Ho Lee2
,
Yejin Shin3
,
Yoon-No Lee4
,
Jong Hwan Shin5
,
Yong Joo Sung6†
김 소현1
,
이 명호2
,
신 예진3
,
이 윤노4
,
신 종환5
,
성 용주6†
1Department of Biobased Materials, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University
2Department of Biobased Materials, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University
3Nanu Co., Ltd.
4Nanu Co., Ltd.
5Department of Horticultural Crop Research, Citrus Research Center, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, RDA
6Department of Biobased Materials, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University
1충남대학교 농업생명과학대학 환경소재공학과, 대학원생
2충남대학교 농업생명과학대학 환경소재공학과, 연구원
3주식회사 나누, 연구원
4주식회사 나누, 대표이사
5농촌진흥청 국립원예특작과학원 원예작물부 감귤연구센터, 농업연구사
6충남대학교 농업생명과학대학 환경소재공학과, 교수
†Corresponding Author: E-mail: yosung17@cnu.ac.kr (Address: Department of Biobased Materials, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea)
30 August 2026. pp. 100-109
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Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable horticultural-produce packaging has created the need for eco-friendly materials with improved mechanical properties and storage performance. Citrus pomace, an abundant agricultural byproduct, has considerable potential as a biomass resource; however, its direct application to pulp molds is limited by its coarse and heterogeneous particle structure. In this study, we subjected citrus pomace to an alkaline pretreatment, followed by wet milling, to produce fine and uniform particles, which we incorporated into pulp fibers to fabricate functional pulp-mold packaging. We systematically evaluated the effects of adding citrus pomace to the pulp molds on their mechanical properties, storage performance, and insect-repellent functionality. The alkaline pretreatment and particle refinement we employed significantly improved the dispersion and interfacial bonding of citrus pomace with the pulp fibers, which enhanced the mechanical strength of the molded products. The optimum performance occurred at a citrus pomace content of approximately 30 wt.%; this provided the best mechanical properties without compromising mold integrity. Furthermore, the functional surface coating effectively preserved the quality of strawberries during storage, reducing the weight loss from 25.8% to 6.8% after five days. Additionally, the natural insect-repellent properties of the citrus pomace reduced insect infestation by approximately 83%, demonstrating its potential for protecting horticultural produce during storage and distribution. These findings demonstrate that alkaline-pretreated citrus pomace is an effective functional-biomass additive for pulp-mold packaging, as it simultaneously improves the mechanical performance, storage performance, and insect-repellent functionality of the packaging. Consequently, this approach provides a promising strategy for the valorization of citrus-processing byproducts and the development of sustainable, high-performance packaging materials for horticultural produce.

Keywords
Citrus pomace
pulp mold
horticultural produce
alkaline pretreatment
packaging
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Information
  • Publisher :Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국펄프종이공학회
  • Journal Title :Journal of Korea TAPPI
  • Journal Title(Ko) :펄프종이기술
  • Volume : 58
  • No :4
  • Pages :100-109
  • Received Date : 2026-08-05
  • Revised Date : 2026-08-10
  • Accepted Date : 2026-08-12
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7584/JKTAPPI.2026.8.58.4.100
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