2024, Vol. 5, Issue 2, Part A
Chemistry and applications of calcium chloride on post-harvest management, refrigeration systems, and industrial processes: A comprehensive review
Author(s): Amit Pradhan, Sita Bista and Rajesh Sharma
Abstract: Calcium chloride (CaCl₂) is a highly soluble, strongly hygroscopic salt whose unique physicochemical properties underpin its wide use in food preservation, refrigeration systems, and numerous industrial operations. In post-harvest management, CaCl₂ dips, sprays, and coatings have been shown to strengthen cell wall integrity, delay softening, and reduce physiological disorders in diverse fruits, including apples, strawberries, litchi, dates, blackberries, and papaya by enhancing Ca²⁺-pectin crosslinking, moderating reactive oxygen species, and lowering chilling injury. In refrigerated and frozen storage, CaCl₂-based brines enable rapid heat transfer and deep freezing due to their high solubility and strong freezing-point depression, and have been applied in immersion chilling and freezing of fish and fruits, as well as in ice-slurry systems. Beyond the food chain, CaCl₂ functions as an efficient liquid desiccant in drying and air-conditioning, and as a key component of chemical dust suppressants and road-base stabilisers, where its deliquescent behaviour allows long-lasting moisture retention and consolidation of particulate surfaces. Despite this breadth of application, knowledge remains fragmented across disciplines, and there is limited cross-sectoral synthesis linking CaCl₂ chemistry to performance, safety, and sustainability outcomes. This comprehensive review therefore examines the hydration equilibria, solution thermodynamics, colligative effects, and interfacial interactions of CaCl₂ and relates these principles to its performance in post-harvest management, refrigeration, and industrial processes. We hypothesise that a chemistry-centred integration of evidence will allow rational optimisation of CaCl₂ concentration, process conditions, and formulation, thereby extending shelf life and improving energy and process efficiency while minimising corrosion, residue accumulation, and environmental risk. The review also highlights key gaps in the standardisation of treatment protocols, compatibility with novel packaging and coating systems, and the long-term ecological implications of repeated CaCl₂ use in food and non-food environments.
DOI: 10.22271/reschem.2024.v5.i2a.230
Pages: 128-132 | Views: 65 | Downloads: 30
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How to cite this article:
Amit Pradhan, Sita Bista, Rajesh Sharma. Chemistry and applications of calcium chloride on post-harvest management, refrigeration systems, and industrial processes: A comprehensive review. J Res Chem 2024;5(2):128-132. DOI: 10.22271/reschem.2024.v5.i2a.230
