2026-04-13 カナダ・ブリティッシュコロンビア大学（UBC）
Image showing time-lapse capture of grapes and apples dipped in the UBC wash browning and losing less moisture compared to the controls. Credit: Tianxi Yang/UBC Media Relations.
＜関連情報＞
- https://news.ubc.ca/2026/04/new-ubc-wash-removes-pesticides-and-keeps-produce-fresh-longer/
- https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.5c20410
収穫後の農薬除去と農産物保存のための、金属-フェノールネットワークで被覆された二重機能デンプンナノ粒子 Dual-Function Metal–Phenolic Network-Capped Starch Nanoparticles for Postharvest Pesticide Removal and Produce Preservation
Tianyi Jin,Zhangmin Wan,Ivy Chiu,Song Yan,Gary Othniel Wijaya,Orlando Rojas,Keng C. Chou,Rickey Y. Yada,and Tianxi Yang
ACS Nano Published: April 12, 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.5c20410
Abstract
Pesticide residues and postharvest losses threaten produce safety and quality, necessitating innovative and effective solutions. Herein, we developed a dual-action postharvest wash based on metal–phenolic network–capped starch nanoparticles (FTN@SNPs) to reduce surface pesticide residues while helping maintain produce quality during storage. FTN@SNPs were prepared by coordinating tannic acid (TA) with Fe3+ to form a metal–phenolic network (MPN) and capping the MPN onto starch nanoparticles. Wash performance was evaluated using SNPs concentrations of 0.5–1.25 wt % and varying FTN loadings, and the best performance was obtained at 1.0 wt % SNPs with 0.25 mM FTN. Comprehensive evaluations on fresh produce demonstrated that the FTN@SNP wash significantly reduced a range of surface pesticide residues, achieving over 86% removal of thiabendazole as quantified by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. The optimized formulation further achieved 93.51% and 89.03% removal of acetamiprid and imidacloprid, respectively, outperforming conventional wash solutions. Molecular dynamics simulations supported high pesticide–MPN affinity with binding energies of −32.40 kcal/mol (acetamiprid), −24.45 kcal/mol (imidacloprid), and −20.98 kcal/mol (thiabendazole), consistent with interactions dominated by π–π stacking, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals forces. In addition, the wash solution helped maintain postharvest quality of both whole and fresh-cut produce over 15 days of storage, as reflected in the visual appearance, weight loss, titratable acidity, and total soluble solids. This dual-action approach highlights the potential of the FTN@SNPs wash as a sustainable, biodegradable, and scalable strategy to improve food safety and minimize postharvest losses across the fresh produce supply chain.
