Posted by US. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a vast public searchable database of scientific results financed by the Department. It has been recently published on its website that carvacrol / β-cyclodextrin spray dried complex packed in sachet may be applied to preserve limes (Citrus latifolia Tanaka). Carvacrol itself possesses strong antimicrobial feature, the β-cyclodextrin component is responsible for the gradual and steady release of the carvacrol. The published dataset contains the physical and chemical properties of the spray dried particles, including encapsulation efficiency, Fourier transform infrared information, release profile, particle diameter, antimicrobial activity, and antioxidant activity. The complexes were applied to preserve postharvest limes; fruit firmness, soluble solid content, titratable acid, weight loss, peel color change, and microbial count were shown. The study provides evidence that the test substance helped preserving and extending the shelf life of postharvest limes. Carvacrol can be found in various spices as well as in tequila, therefore any potential off-taste of the so-preserved lime might even be an added value rather than a quality loss.
The results are accessable via the below link: