Synthesis of γ-cyclodextrin metal-organic framework as ethylene absorber for improving postharvest quality of kiwi fruit

In this study, we developed an edible metal-organic framework (MOF) based on K+ and γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD), named γ-CD-MOF-K, using ultrasonication. A structural analysis demonstrated that MOF had good adsorption performance for ethylene gas: 56% ± 0.67% (w/w). Molecular docking technology found that γ-CD-MOF-K had a spindle cavity structure, which can effectively adsorb and store ethylene gas. The results showed that the material could effectively absorb ethylene gas in storage packaging and delay red kiwi fruit ripening. Therefore, MOF exhibits great potential to improve the postharvest quality of fruits and vegetables.