Authors J. Qamar, S. Ejaz, M.A. Anjum, A. Nawaz A, S. Hussain, S. Ali, et al.
Strawberry is a non-climacteric fruit but exhibits very limited postharvest life due to rapid softening and decay. Therefore, the current study was carried out to evaluate the effects of different types of edible coatings to extend the postharvest life of strawberry fruit. The strawberry fruits of cultivar Chandler, grown under agro-climatic conditions of Multan, were coated with Aloe vera gel, chitosan (2%) or sodium alginate (2%) and kept in refrigerated storage at 5-7 “C with 50-60% RH for 12 days. The fruits were evaluated for sensory and biochemical quality attributes after every 4 days of storage. The results showed that overall coated fruits had prolonged storage life (8 days) as compared to non-coated fruits (4 days). Aloe vera gel coating maintained various quality attributes of strawberry fruits such as firmness, appearance, TSS (6.8″Brix), titratable acidity (1.14%), pH (3.27), ascorbic acid content (76 mg 100 mL-1), antioxidant activity (93%), anthocyanins (104 mg PE 100 g-1 FW) and total phenolic content (369.45 µg GE mL-1). Generally, all coatings prohibited the decay incidence. The results showed that edible coatings based on Aloe vera gel can be used as an effective alternative for other costly and synthetic chemicals. Biochemical quality, Fragaria ananassa, polysaccharide-based coating, storage life, Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) is one of the most liked fruits in the world due to its pleasant color, shape and aroma . Strawberries are vital source of many health promoting nutritious compounds such as vitamins C and E, anthocyanins and ?-carotene. The antioxidants and polyphenolic compounds in strawberries can be useful in curing various types of cancers, suppressing premature aging and improving immunity system in humans. Total postharvest losses of fruits and vegetables range from 25 to 40% in various countries, rising up to 60% in perishable commodities in developing countries that cause a huge financial loss to farmers. Strawberry fruits are highly perishable and prone to postharvest losses mainly owing to a sharp increase in water loss, respiration rate and tissue softening after harvest. Moreover, loss in fruit quality exaggerates due to high cellular metabolic activities and sensitivity to fungus such as Botrytis cinerea that cause gray mold. Therefore, for extending the postharvest life of strawberry fruits, many preservation techniques are being used that includes hot water treatment, irradiation, hypobaric storage, chemical treatments, bio-based packaging, ultrasound technique and edible coating. Edible coatings could be used to preserve the quality attributes of fresh or slightly processed fruits and vegetables. The edible coating acts as a barrier to moisture and gases and restricts the respiration process and loss of moisture. The gel, extracted from Aloe vera leaves, is considered as biologically active as it comprises of various antioxidant and antibiotic properties. Aloe vera gel contains various antibiotic and antifungal properties which can restrict the growth of numerous microbes responsible for the diseases and spoilage of food commodities. Because of antifungal and antibacterial properties, Aloe vera gel is recently being used as an efficient ingredient in various food products. Aloe vera gel can also be used as edible coating to enhance the storage life of various fruits and vegetables. Aloe vera gel has now achieved much importance to be used as an efficient ingredient in processed food commodities because it is non-toxic and environment friendly. It delays the ripening process and exerts beneficial effects on fruit quality of peaches and plums. Alginate is derived from brown marine algae and is a natural polysaccharide. It is widely used as an edible coating due to its extraordinary colloidal possessions. Sodium alginate can be used to enhance the shelf life of pear fruits as it retards the weight loss and can conserve the total soluble solids (TSS)
