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2026 Vol.58, Issue 4 Preview Page

Original Paper

Surface Coating Treatment for Quality Enhancement of Molded-Pulp Packaging for Fresh-Produce Storage

표면 코팅처리를 통한 신선식품용 펄프몰드 품질 강화 연구

Yejin Shin1
,
So Hyun Kim2
,
Myeong Ho Lee3
,
Yoon-No Lee4
,
Jong Hwan Shin5
,
Yong Joo Sung6†
신 예진1
,
김 소현2
,
이 명호3
,
이 윤노4
,
신 종환5
,
성 용주6†
1Nanu Co., Ltd.
2Department of Biobased Materials, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University
3Department of Biobased Materials, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University
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
1주식회사 나누, 연구원
2충남대학교 농업생명과학대학 환경소재공학과, 대학원생
3충남대학교 농업생명과학대학 환경소재공학과, 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. 87-99
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Abstract

The increasing use of plastic-based food packaging has raised significant environmental concerns, leading to growing interest in recyclable and biodegradable alternatives such as molded-pulp packaging. Despite its environmental advantages, conventional molded-pulp packaging has limited applications in fresh-produce packaging owing to its highly porous structure, which results in poor water and oil resistance, as well as inadequate moisture-barrier properties. In this study, a biodegradable-acrylic-based coating was applied to the surface of molded-pulp packaging to improve its barrier performance and preservation ability for fresh-produce packaging. The effects of the surface coating treatment on the physical properties, water and oil resistance, and storage performance of fresh produce were systematically investigated. The surface coating significantly improved the water and oil resistance of the molded-pulp packaging. The water contact angle increased from approximately 60° to 100°, whereas the oil contact angle increased from approximately 35° to 90°, substantially enhancing the water and oil resistance compared with the uncoated samples. Furthermore, food-simulant tests using tomato ketchup and oriental dressing demonstrated that the surface coating effectively suppressed liquid penetration and prevented surface contamination. In lettuce storage experiments, the coated packaging exhibited a moisture retention rate of 96.7%, compared with 76.7% for the uncoated packaging, thus maintaining superior visual appearance and textural quality of the produce in coated packaging. Storage tests with bananas and apples also exhibited reduced moisture loss and enzymatic browning, which resulted in improved freshness, color retention, structural integrity, and overall appearance. These findings demonstrate that biodegradable-acrylic surface coating effectively enhances the barrier properties and storage performance of molded-pulp packaging, thereby overcoming one of the major limitations of conventional molded-pulp packaging. The developed coated molded-pulp packaging shows considerable potential as an environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional plastic packaging for fresh produce.

Keywords
Pulp mold
surface coating
water resistance
oil resistance
water vapor transmission rate
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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 :87-99
  • Received Date : 2026-07-29
  • Revised Date : 2026-08-13
  • Accepted Date : 2026-08-16
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7584/JKTAPPI.2026.8.58.4.87
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