In the present study, the lignin was extracted from sugarcane
bagasse, abundant waste from sugar industry in Thailand, by
different alkaline and alkaline/organosolv methods. Apart from
antimicrobial properties of lignin extracts, dissimilar ratios of lignin
and hemicellulose in lignin extracts from different extraction conditions
was believed to influence the shelf life of coated fruits. A
proper mixture of lignin which is hydrophobic substance and
hemicellulose which is hydrophilic substance was proposed to influence
moisture change and weight loss of coated fruits. Moreover,
lignin molecular weights were first tested for their efficacy on
coating limes. Changes in fruit color, weight loss and antimicrobial
activity that enhanced the shelf life of fresh fruits were monitored.