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The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the shelf-life of minimally processed pineapple when subjected to the use of different edible coatings.

The pineapples were peeled and cut into cubes. The gums were prepared by dissolving them in distilled water and then heated to total dissolution. After calcium chloride, citric acid and ascorbic acid and glycerol were added in the solutions. The pieces of pineapple were completely submerged in the respective solutions and then drained. Four treatments were obtained, namely: T1 – control treatment (pineapple without coating); T2 – pectin; T3 – tara; T4 – xanthan. The cubes were stored in PET by 12 days at 4±1°C. Analyzes were carried out of mass loss, pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, microbiological and sensory analysis.

It was possible to observe that the use of evaluated coatings was efficient to maintain the conservation of minimally processed pineapple in all analyzes, when compared with the control sample. The treatment with tara gum showed the best results to those obtained by the other studied gums.

The study may help small-scale establishments to increase the shelf-life of minimally processed pineapple.

Tara gum reduced the mass loss, delayed the microbial growth and maintained the sensorial quality of minimally processed pineapples for a longer time.

The purpose of this study is to address a recent call for additional research on electronic word‐of‐mouth (eWOM). In response to this call, this study draws on the social network paradigm and the uses and gratification theory (UGT) to propose and empirically test a conceptual framework of key drivers of two types of eWOM, namely in‐group and out‐of‐group.

The proposed model, which examines the impact of usage motivations on eWOM in‐group and eWOM out‐of‐group, is tested in a sample of 302 internet users in Portugal.

Results from the survey show that the different drivers (i.e. mood‐enhancement, escapism, experiential learning and social interaction) vary in terms of their impact on the two different types of eWOM. Surprisingly, while results show a positive relationship between experiential learning and eWOM out‐of‐group, no relationship is found between experiential learning and eWOM in‐group.

This is the first study investigating the drivers of both eWOM in‐group and eWOM out‐of‐group. Additional research in this area will contribute to the development of a general theory of eWOM.

By understanding the drivers of different eWOM types, this study provides guidance to marketing managers on how to allocate resources more efficiently in order to achieve the company's strategic objectives.

No published study has investigated the determinants of these two types of eWOM. This is the first study offering empirical considerations of how the various drivers differentially impact eWOM in‐group and eWOM out‐of‐group.