Authors Padmaja, N., & Bosco, S. J. D.

Sapota is a climacteric fruit and is very much appreciated for its taste and nutritional value but the production and commercialization of the fruit is limited. The sweet tasting fruit possesses a delicate characteristic aroma, sometimes slightly astringent. So far, many attempts has been made to extend the shelf life which include Calcium salts dip treatment, GA?, Waxol and hot water treatments. But these were not able to increase the storage life to appreciable level as the MAP does which was expensive and need technical expertise. Aloe vera gel has been used as an edible coating in fruits, which would be an innovative and interesting means for commercial application and an alternative to the use of postharvest treatments. Aloe Vera has been used for centuries for its medicinal and therapeutic properties anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities apart from the antioxidant capacity. Pectin has wide applications in a variety of food formulations as jellying and thickening agent. Since it sets into Jelly in sugar-acid solution, it is regularly used in the preparation of jams, jellies, and marmalades. Because of its ever-increasing use and demand, pectin has become an indispensable ingredient in food industry. Low density polyethylene has wide applications in the food industry as packaging material to avoid weight loss, dust, contamination of microorganisms. Edible coatings play an important role in the quality, safety, transportation, storage, and display of a wide range of fresh and processed foods. Edible films and coatings, while preventing moisture loss and maintaining quality, prevent spoilage and microbial contamination of foods. They act as barriers to moisture and oxygen during processing, handling and storage and do not solely retard food deterioration but also enhance its safety due to their natural biocide activity or the incorporation of antimicrobial compounds.

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Authors Chrysargyris, A.; Nikou, A.; Tzortzakis, N.

Application of an edible coating is a technique that can be used to increase fruit storability. Tomato fruit was coated with 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% Aloe vera gel, and fruit quality maintenance was examined for up to 14 days at 11 “C and 90% relative humidity. Results showed that 10% and 15% A. vera coating reduced fruit ethylene production. The ripening index (total soluble solids/ titratable acidity) decreased after 7 days of storage in 10% Aloe-coated fruits, maintaining the overall quality of the tomato fruit. Lycopene and ?-carotene content were reduced by 20% A. vera in both examined storage periods. Ascorbic acid content was increased in 10% Aloe-coated fruits. Total phenolics and antioxidative status were increased in 20% of coated fruits after 14 days of storage. Fruit firmness, titratable acidity, weight loss, respiration rate, and fruit color (L*, a*, b*) did not differ among treatments. Thus, an edible coating of 10% A. vera could be considered a promising treatment to maintain tomato quality during postharvest storage, Fruit storage; natural products; preservation; quality-related attributes; tomato; vegetables, Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.) postharvest life as a climacteric fruit is relatively short since many processes cause loss of quality and storability, including high respiration rates, transpiration, postharvest diseases and acceleration in the ripening process and senescence, Tomato quality changes continuously after harvesting. Fruit quality aspects include firmness, flavor, color, and nutritional value, as well as shelf life, processing attributes, and resistance to pathogens, tomatoes deteriorate rapidly after harvest and in some cases during or after transport and marketing. Due to the economic impacts of spoiled foods and consumers’ concerns over the safety of foods containing synthetic chemicals, a lot of attention has been paid to naturally derived compounds or natural products, edible coatings using natural biomaterials are being explored as a safer alternative to extend the shelf life of perishable food crops and improve food appearance, Different compounds have been used as edible coatings to prevent commodity weight loss, including wax, milk proteins, celluloses, lipids, starch, zein and alginate, Aloe vera gel has been identified as a novel coating agent with good antimicrobial properties, In recent years, the use of A. vera gel has gained much attention for use as a safe and environment-friendly postharvest treatment. Aloe vera gel has been applied as an edible coating material for raw produce including nectarines, mangoes, apples, strawberries, cherries, papayas, peaches and plums, tomatoes, and table grapes. Typically, the A. vera concentration used in these studies ranged between 50% and 100%, although it was much lower for apples (0%–10%). The results of these studies have indicated that A. vera reduces the respiration rate, ethylene production, weight loss, softening, and total acidity and prevents color. development.

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Authors Nida Firdous,Moazzam Rafiq Khana, Masood Sadiq Butt, Ali, Muhammad Asim Shabbir,Ahmad Din, Abid Hussain, Azhari Siddeeg &Muhammad Faisal Manzoor

Climacteric fruits such as tomatoes are highly perishable, have a limited shelf life (7 to 10 days), and are prone to early quality deterioration under ambient conditions. Tomatoes are susceptible to ethylene and tend to ripen sharply, particularly after harvest. That’s why; growers need to slow down the ripening process of tomatoes after harvest to make them available to the commercial markets a wholesome fruit. Tomatoes are a vital source of nutritional and therapeutic compounds, including ascorbic acid, sugars, total phenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, and lycopene. For maintaining the fruit texture, cell wall compounds such as pectin play essential roles in tomato fruit softening and texture integrity. Meanwhile, undesired storage environments and microbial/fungal attacks may primarily affect such compounds, thus leading to postharvest quality losses of tomatoes. The edible coating is a robust approach to enhancing the shelf life of the produce by preventing anaerobiosis in perishable fruit like tomatoes. Various kinds of biodegradable, edible coatings (i.e. seed mucilage, microbial gums, pectin polysaccharides, corn starch, gum arabic, polyalcohols, etc.) are in practice to overcome postharvest losses in horticultural products . Edible coatings create a modified atmosphere by generating a semi-permeable barrier against O2, CO2, solute, and moisture exchange. Subsequently, oxidation rate, respiration rate, ethylene production, textural strength, flavour quality, and water loss remained controlled, maintaining the fruit quality for a longer time. Hydrocolloidal Aloe vera gel (AVG) can potentially extend the shelf life and maintain the postharvest quality of various perishable products. The AVG contains 99% gel component along with numerous essential substances such as polysaccharides, amino acids, organic acids, minerals (zinc, calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus), essential enzymes, sterols, gibberellins, and water- and fat-soluble vitamins and phenolic compounds, many of which have antimicrobial and anti- mutagenic properties. The AVG is generally considered a safe (GRAS) coating material due to its accessible biochemical properties, biodegradability, antimicrobial action, non-toxicity, film- forming properties, and eco-friendly nature. It is bio- preservative, affordable, technologically viable, and easily applicable. The AVG contains various components exhibiting antimicrobial activities, such as anthraquinones that could show the inhibitory potential against Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli. The mechanism behind its antimicrobial action is the inhibition of solute transport through membranes. A previous study reported its effectiveness against food- borne pathogens such as Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsialla pneumonia, Bacillus cereus, and E. coli. AVG-based edible coatings seem like a green alternative attributed with cost-effective and readily available than already existing synthetic materials.

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Authors Ananou, S.; Martínez-Bueno, M.; Valdivia, E.; Ananou, S.; Maqueda, M.; Martínez-Bueno, M.; Valdivia, E.

Biopreservation refers to the use of antagonistic microorganisms or their metabolic products to inhibit or destroy undesired microorganisms in foods to enhance food safety and extend shelf life. In order to achieve improved food safety and to harmonize consumer demands with the necessary safety standards, traditional means of controlling microbial spoilage and safety hazards in foods are being replaced by combinations of innovative technologies that include biological antimicrobial systems such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and/or their metabolites, The antagonistic properties of LAB derive from competition for nutrients and the production of one or more antimicrobial active metabolites such as organic acids (lactic and acetic), hydrogen peroxide and antimicrobial peptides (bacteriocins). Nowadays the use of LAB bacteriocins is considered an integral part of hurdle technology. Their combined use allows most pathogenic and spoilage bacteria to be controlled and extends their inhibitory activity spectrum to such intrinsically resistant organisms as Gram-negative bacteria. Food spoilage refers to the damage to the original nutritional value, texture, and flavor of the food that nevertheless, these types of solutions have many eventually render food harmful to people and unsuitable drawbacks: the proven toxicity of many of the commonest to eat. The increasing consumption of pre-cooked food, chemical preservatives (e.g. nitrites), the alteration of the prone to temperature abuse, and the importation of raw organoleptic and nutritional properties of foods and foods from developing countries are among the main especially recent consumer trends in purchasing and causes of this situation, One of the concerns in the food industry is the processed products without additives, contamination by pathogens, which are a frequent cause of To harmonize consumer demands with the necessary foodborne diseases, Biopreservation is the use of natural or controlled microbiota or antimicrobials as a way of preserving food and extending its shelf life, One of the most common forms of food biopreservation is fermentation, a process based on the growth of microorganisms in foods, whether natural or added, intentional application in raw foods of different microbial systems (starter/protective cultures).

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Authors N.H. Mohd Nizam, N.F. Mohammad Rawi, S.F. Mhd Ramle, A. Abd Aziz, C. K. Abdullah, A. Rashedi, M.H. Mohamad Kassim,

substitutes for synthetic polymers. The starch-based film is one of the best alternatives; it is a cost-effective material that has been investigated as an excellent raw material for the production of a biodegradable film, additionally, the development of starch-based films for use as antimicrobial packaging or coating is one of the most promising active packaging systems, using aloe vera as an organic antimicrobial agent derived from plants has risen significantly, due to its film-forming properties, antimicrobial properties, and biochemical properties, aloe vera gel has been identified as one of the best biodegradable films, Aloe vera also contributes to the film’s exceptional properties, Starch film, Aloe vera, Antimicrobial properties, Mechanical properties, Thermal properties, Physicochemical properties, Microbial food spoilage occurs primarily on the food’s surface, edible films and coatings are particularly advantageous for microbial contamination control on the ground because they can act as additive carriers and release active compounds onto food surfaces, where they can be used to inhibit microbial growth, edible films and coatings are thin layers of edible materials that can act as a barrier to moisture, gases, and solute movement in food. Due of their superior features including as biocompatibility, edibility, and a wide range of applications, they are excellent alternatives for traditional wrapping materials, primary distinction between coatings and films is that coatings are applied to foods in liquid form, whereas films are molded into sheets and then utilized as wrapping materials. Edible films or coatings make it easier to transport, store, and display fresh and processed foods, to formulate edible films or coatings with functional properties, both the film-forming base materials and the bioactive ingredients must be carefully selected, proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids are the primary base materials used in the manufacture of edible films and coatings, and the choice of a specific material or a combination of different materials, one of the bio active component that has potential in producing edible films and coating is aloe vera (AV aloe vera gel is used in the food industries to produce functional foods, as a natural preservative and as antimicrobial agent material added in edible films and coatings, there are two traditional approaches to developing an effective coating and film formulation: (i) the material science approach and (ii) the application of coating material to the fruit surface, two additional events are included in the material science approach: (i) biopolymer to gel conversion and (ii) gel to thin film formation, these events are interconnected, which emphasizes the importance of considering the application of coating material prior to applying it to the fruit surface, the formulations must be evaluated independently for their film thickness, solubility, moisture content, water vapour (WVP) permeability, oxygen barrier properties, transparency, colour, tensile strength, elongation at break, elastic modulus, and antimicrobial properties, It is also critical to determine the extent to which secondary components such as plasticizers affect thermal (gelatinization) and post–thermal (retro-gradation) events in starch-based edible film formulations. These occurrences are necessary for the formation of a film or coating because they take advantage of the starch unit is intermolecular associations-dissociations, plasticizers, water, and co-biopolymers all have a significant effect on the thermal actions (granule swelling, amylose or amylopectin chain disintegration, and glass transition) of the film, demonstrating their influence on the overall film properties, starch is inexpensive, widely available and can be used to make edible films for food applications due to their low oxygen permeability, corn starch has excellent film-forming properties as a result of its high amylose content and can thus be used in the development of films, according to recent research, adding plasticizing agents and other active ingredients to starch polymers could further enhance their properties in water barriers. Plasticizers are critical ingredients in the production of edible films and coatings because they increase the versatility and toughness of polymers, polyols (for example, glycerol and mannitol) were previously described as the most starch-compatible plasticizers, starch-based films infused with AV. The use of AV gel as an antimicrobial agent and AV rind as reinforcement in starch-based films.

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Authors Ncama, K.; Magwaza, L.S.; Mditshwa, A.; Tesfay, S.Z

Fresh produce is recognized as highly beneficial for human health. The substantial changes in the lifestyle of populations and upturn awareness about nutritional aspects of dietary patterns, fresh produce has high demand, In developing countries, postharvest losses can reach up to 50%, and improper storage can cause serious food safety and quality-related issues. To fulfill the ever increasing demand of fresh produce, more attention should be given to reduce postharvest losses in addition to increase the production, Postharvest operations are one of the promising approaches for regulating food safety and security, fresh produce; postharvest, losses; food safety and quality; Nutrition properties; Bio-edible coating, consumers demand chemical free fresh product with excellent quality and nutritional profile, edible coating of fresh produce seems to be an effective approach to mitigate produce safety and quality issues, Fresh produce is highly perishable by nature, that is why it is more susceptible to biotic (diseases, insects, parasites) and abiotic (temperature, humidity, rain, floods) challenges that cause postharvest losses. Microorganisms are a major source of postharvest losses in fresh vegetables. Skin damage, spots, and fractures occur because of improper handling of fresh vegetables provide optimum conditions for microbial growth. Many microorganisms enter the food and cause serious health issues, especially pathogenic organisms which can cause food-borne diseases.[5] To enhance quality and safety, fresh produce must need protection from deterioration during processing, storage, and transportation. Numerous techniques are utilized for extending the nutritional attributes and storage life of fresh produce include modified atmospheric packaging (MAP), high temperature storage, low temperature, irradiation, and chemical treatment but these techniques require proper care and sometimes lead to an unacceptable loss in nutritional value of produce, edible coatings and films have piqued the attention of scholars and the food industry to use them as preservative techniques because of their biodegradability, biocompatibility, antibacterial, and antifungal activity and it shown to be very successful in retaining food without compromising its nutritional or organoleptic aspects, Edible coatings would be a good substitute for the commercial synthetic waxes that are now utilized, which are mostly made of oxidized polyethylene, moreover, certain edible coatings may contain useful additives like antioxidants and phytonutrients that help to improve food safety and stability. Sensory properties, water solubility, and other variables all play a role in the selection of coating materials, when purchasing fresh produce, consumers evaluate the quality and wholesomeness of the produce based on its presentation. The most prevalent and challenging problem for fruit industry is to maintain and control fresh quality, avoid spoilage, and retard growth of pathogenic microorganisms, this issue can be solved by using an edible coating. Edible coating adds another layer of protection to fresh fruits and vegetables and may have a similar effect to modify storage atmosphere and controlling inner gas composition, edible coatings with the inclusion of different edible herbs and antimicrobial agents have been created and applied to fresh produce, edible coating is a thin layer that acts as semipermeable membrane and operates as barrier against gases, water leakage, hence, decreases the rate of respiration, enzymatic browning, and release of volatile compounds into the ambient environment, they are employed directly on the produce surface by spraying, brushing, or dipping to create a modified atmosphere. Under conditions of high humidity, edible coatings should be durable and commonly regarded as safe. Edible coatings must be colorless, odorless, tasteless and have strong mechanical characteristics that can be utilized as nutraceutical, as well as act carriers of texture enhancers, to enhance the storage life of fresh produce, various materials were used to cover and wrap them and this material is consumed with foods, both with and without removal, and is known as an edible wrapping, fresh produce with edible coatings has a gleaming appearance. The key benefit of edible coating is that it improves the storage time of fresh or refined food products while also protecting them from postharvest losses and environmental damages, edible coating is added to the outer surface of fruits and vegetables to increase shelf life and shine appearance in order to meet market demand for environment friendly and nutritious foods by improving the nutritional composition of fruits and vegetables without compromising their consistency, Among the major obstacles confronting the global preservation industry is the limited advancement of unique coatings with increased consistency and functionality for both fresh and minimally processed food. It has been documented that development activities have largely turned toward the creation of environmentally sustainable coatings/packaging derived from biodegradable polymers, which may not only minimize packaging needs but also contribute to the transfer of value-added by-products, Multiple methods are employed for coating formation depending upon which coating material is used, for the formation of edible coatings, some methods like solidification of melt, solvent extraction and thermal gelation have been developed, hydrocolloid films contain water soluble polymers derived from animals, plants, or microbial/biological sources. Solvent extraction produces hydrocolloid edible films with a continuous structure. The chemical and physical interactions between molecules enhance the product’s stability. Water, acetic acid and ethanol are mostly used as solvents with the addition of plasticizers, antimicrobial, and cross-linking agents. Protein films produced by heating the solution result in denaturation, precipitation, or gelation and cooled immediately to produce coagulation and further gelation. Lipid films are solidified and melted, Additives in coatings Additives like antimicrobials, plasticizers, texture enhancers, flavor, probiotics, and anti-browning compounds have been mostly utilized in edible coatings. Incorporation of antimicrobial agent into coatings give an innovative approach to extend the storage life and enhance microbial safety, the generally utilized antibacterial agents in edible coatings are potassium-sorbate, lauric acid, green tea powder, sodium benzoate, trisodium phosphate, pediocin, lactic acid, conalbumin, chitosan, lecithin, nisin, lauric acid, ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA), thiosulfonates, imazali, sorbic acid, grape seed extract, essential oils/spices, or their ingredients, benomyl, silver, isothiocyanates, and enzymes. The enzymes glucose oxidase, lactoperoxidases, and lysozyme are utilized as antibacterial agents in coating solutions, however, their applicability is limited due to poor stability (at varying pH and temperature), Antimicrobial compounds derived from plants are encouraged to promote customer acceptance used natural antimicrobials curcumin and limonene and coatings were made from their liposomes and then over-coated with methyl cellulose. One set of each coating type was exposed to simulated local transportation vibration. Vibrated samples had a shorter shelf life than non-vibrated samples, indicating the need for a tough coating that can withstand road vibrations. On the 14th day of storage, limonene liposomes showed substantially lower fungal growth than the control by judging number of strawberries with visible Mold, the impact of four distinct plasticizers (glycerol, polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, and glycerol) on water vapor permeability, and mechanical characteristics of alginate coating. Inclusion of plasticizers changed the mechanical characteristics of alginate coverings, lowering tensile strength (TS), with the impact becoming more evident as the relative humidity (RH) increased, Types of edible coating, edible coatings are chiefly classified into three main groups. Polysaccharides based coatings (starch, chitosan, cellulose, alginate, pectin, gums etc.), protein-based coatings (zein, whey protein, wheat gluten, casein, soy protein, egg albumin, gelatin, etc.), lipid-based coatings (waxes, fatty acids etc.) and composite coatings are formed by combining more than one material or substance depicted the types and subtypes of edible coatings.

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Authors Martinez-Romero D L,Alburquerque N ,Valverde J M,Guillen F, Castillo S et al ,

A novel edible coating based on Aloe vera gel, accordingly to our developed patent (SP Patent Filed P200302937), has been used as postharvest treatment to maintain sweet cherry quality and safety. During cold storage, uncoated fruit showed increases in respiration rate, rapid weight loss and colour changes, accelerated softening and ripening, stem browning and increased microbial populations, these processes being more intense during the shelf-life periods. On the contrary, sweet cherry treated with A. vera gel significantly delayed the above parameters related to postharvest quality losses, and storability could be extended. The sensory analyses revealed beneficial effects in terms of delaying stem browning and dehydration, maintenance of fruit visual aspect without any detrimental effect on taste, aroma, or flavors. As far as we aware, this is the first time A. vera gel is used as an edible coating in fruit, which would be an innovative and interesting means for commercial application and as alternative of the use of postharvest chemical treatments. Sweet cherry is one of the most appreciated fruit by consumers since it is an early season fruit and has an excellent quality. The main quality indices are skin colour, which is related to fruit ripening and affected by anthocyanin concentration, and total soluble solids-total acidity ratio (TSS/TA) at harvest. Both parameters, together with the absence of stem browning determine consumer acceptance. TSS ranges between 11 and 25″Brix depending on cultivar and is mainly due to glucose and fructose and less to the presence of sucrose and sorbitol. TA depends also on cultivar, with levels of 0.4–1.5%, the main organic acid being malic acid. Fruit firmness is also an important quality attribute and is directly related to enhancement of storability potential and induction of greater resistance to decay and mechanical damage (Barret and González, 1994). Sweet cherry fruit deteriorate rapidly after harvest and in some cases do not reach consumers at optical quality after transport and marketing. The main causes of sweet cherry deterioration are weight loss, colour changes, softening, surface pitting, stem browning and loss of acidity, while low variations occur in TSS. Finally, special care is needed with the occurrence of decay, which is mainly due to species of the genera Penicillium, Botrytis and Monilia. This fungal spoilage can cause great economic losses, although the occurrence of rots and their influence on sweet cherry quality have been reported to be dependent on cultivar and ripening stage at harvest. Several pre- and postharvest technologies have been used to control decay, but the postharvest use of chemicals as fungicides is restricted in most countries and consumers demand agricultural commodities without pesticide residues. Among these technologies, the use of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has been reported to be effective in delaying the physico-chemical changes related to sweet cherry fruit quality loss. Recently, the combination of MAP with several essential oils has been shown to improve the beneficial effect of MAP on maintaining sweet cherry fruit quality during cold storage and extending shelf life. Edible coatings are traditionally used to improve food appearance and conservation. They act as barriers during processing, handling, and storage, and do not solely retard food deterioration enhancing its quality, but are safe due to natural biocide activity, or to the incorporation of antimicrobial compounds. Different compounds have mainly been used as edible coatings to prevent commodity weight loss, including wax, milk proteins, celluloses, lipids, starch, zein, and alginate. In the recent literature, there is little evidence of the use of edible coatings in sweet cherry. Thus, Semperfresh™ reduced weight loss and softening, extending shelf life, although fungicides should be added to avoid fungal spoilage. Derivatives of fatty acids and polysaccharides decreased sweet cherry fruit respiration rate and weight loss. In addition, edible coatings based on chitosan alone or in combination with hypobaric treatments reduced postharvest decay in sweet cherry, there is an increasing interest in the use of Aloe vera gel in the food industry, being used as a source of functional foods in drinks, beverages and ice creams. Nevertheless, processing techniques used to obtain A. vera gel are very important to ensure the product quality and to maintain almost all the bioactive components. The aim of this work was to study the effect of A. vera, applied as an edible coating according to our patent, on the change in physico-chemical parameters related to fruit quality during cold storage and shelf life in sweet cherry, as well as its role in controlling microbial spoilage. As far as we are aware, this is the first published paper in which A. vera gel is used as an edible coating in sweet cherry fruit. It could be an innovative and interesting commercial product and an alternative to the use of synthetic postharvest fungicides.

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Authors Clara R, Antonio A V, Jose A T, and Candida M

Research on edible coatings and films has been intense in recent years. Attempts to diminish crop losses and maintain the quality of fresh fruit for a longer period is a priority for all the producers. This is true both for fruit being directly sold to the consumer and for further processing. The development of coatings from polysaccharides has brought an increase in new types of coatings for extending the shelf-life of fruit and vegetables because of the selective permeabilities of these polymers to O2 and CO2. Polysaccharide based coatings can be used to modify the internal atmosphere of the fruit and thus retard senescence. Even though some edible coatings have been successfully applied to fresh products, other applications adversely affect quality. Modification of the internal atmosphere using edible coatings can increase disorders associated with high CO2 or low O2 concentrations. Therefore, it is only natural that the control of gas permeability of the films should be a priority in their development. The effectiveness of edible coatings for protection of fruit and vegetables depends primarily on controlling the wettability of the coating solutions, which affects the coating thickness of the film. Edible coating formulations must wet and spread uniformly on the fruit’s surface and, upon drying, a coating that has adequate adhesion, cohesion, and durability to function properly must be formed. Among other functionalities, edible coatings can act as carriers for food additives such as antioxidants and antimicrobial agents onto the surface of the food. The aim of this work was to study the ability of starch, carrageenan, and chitosan-based coatings to extend the shelf-life of strawberry fruit. This study was divided into two parts: in the first part coating composition was optimized and O2 permeability of coating solutions was determined; in the second, the coatings were applied to the strawberries, both in the laboratory and in the field, and the changes in the quality parameters were followed during storage of the coated fruit. The ability of polysaccharide-based (starch, carrageenan, and chitosan) coatings to extend the shelf-life of strawberry fruit (Fragaria ananassa) were studied, mainly for industrial applications. The coatings and strawberries were characterized in terms of their physical properties (superficial properties, wettability, oxygen permeability) to optimize coating composition. The optimized coatings were then applied to the fruit both in the laboratory and in the field and their effects on relevant quality parameters assessed. The superficial tension of the strawberry was 28.94 mN/m, and its polar and dispersive components were 5.95 and 22.99 mN/m, respectively. The critical superficial tension of the strawberry, obtained from a Zisman plot, was 18.84 mN/m. For each polysaccharide-based coating the best wettability was obtained for compositions: 2% starch and 2% sorbitol; 0.3% carrageenan, 0.75% glycerol and 0.02% Tween 80; 1% chitosan and 0.1% Tween 80. The oxygen permeability of carrageenan films was approximately 40% of that obtained with starch films. The addition of calcium to the starch film-forming solution produced an increase in the film thickness; nevertheless, no significant differences in oxygen permeability were obtained between films with and without calcium. The effects of application of these coatings to fresh strawberries were assessed by determining color change, firmness, weight loss, soluble solids, and microbiological growth over 6 days. No significant colour differences were found, and the minimum firmness loss was obtained in strawberries coated with carrageenan and calcium chloride. The minimum loss of mass was obtained for fruit with chitosan and carrageenan coatings both with calcium chloride. The addition of 1% di-hydrated calcium chloride to the coatings reduced the microbial growth rate on the fruit. The minimum rate of microbial growth was obtained for strawberries coated with chitosan and calcium chloride. The industrial application of calcium-enriched carrageenan coating on fresh strawberries resulted in a decrease in firmness loss when compared to non-coated fruit.

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Authors Guillén, F.; Díaz-Mula, H.M.; Zapata, P.J.; Valero, D.; Serrano, M.; Castillo, S.; Martínez-Romero, D.

In recent years the use of Aloe vera gel has gained much attention for use as a safe and environmentally friendly postharvest treatment. A. vera gel treatments as edible coatings had efficacy on maintaining postharvest quality with several fruit commodities such as sweet or sour cherry, nectarine, table grape, strawberry, and papaya. In addition, pre-harvest application of A. vera gel showed benefits in terms of delaying postharvest ripening of table grape. With the aim to open possible industrial applications of other Aloe spp. to obtain gels with potential use as pre- or postharvest fruit treatments, the gel characteristics and antifungal activity from 8 Aloe spp., including A. vera and A. arborescens, have been analyzed. These authors concluded that antifungal activity was higher for A. arborescens than A. vera. However, there is no literature on the use of A. arborescens as a postharvest treatment. In this sense, the objective of this paper was to test if A. arborescens gel shows similar efficacy to A. vera applied as a coating to climacteric fruit such as peaches and plums, and the effect on postharvest ripening. Ethylene production increased over storage although fruit treated with both A. vera and A. arborescens gels showed a significant delay on production for both plums and peaches. The reduction in ethylene production was higher for plums than for peaches, since at the end of the experiment ca. 70 and 50% of inhibition on ethylene production rate was obtained, respectively. Similarly, respiration rate increased during storage for both control and treated fruit.

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Authors Paladines, D., Valero, D., Valverde, J. M., Díaz-Mula, H., Serrano, M., & Martínez-Romero, D.

Stonefruit including peach, nectarine, plum and sweet cherry are very appreciated by consumers due to their organoleptic and nutritive properties as well as their content of bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity. However, Stonefruit deteriorate rapidly after harvest and lose their quality in a short period of time ranging from several days to 1–2 weeks, depending on plant species and cultivar. Low temperature storage is generally used to delay the postharvest deterioration process, although in some cases this treatment is not enough to maintain fruit quality during handling, transport, and commercialization. In this sense, additional postharvest tools together with cold storage are necessary. In recent years, the use of Aloe vera gel (AV) has been used as an edible coating for raw produce such as mangoes, nectarines, apples , papaya , table grapes, sweet cherries, figs, strawberries, tomatoes , peaches and plums. In all these fruit commodities, the AV treatment preserved physico-chemical parameters such as colour, firmness, total acidity (TA), and reduced respiration rates, ethylene production (in those climacteric fruit) and weight loss, leading to maintenance of the quality characteristics and extension of the shelf-life. The gel of Aloe Vera barbadensis miller. is mainly composed of polysaccharides and soluble sugars followed by proteins, vitamins, and minerals, but are very low in lipid content, ranging from 0.07 to 0.42% depending on the Aloe vera and climatic conditions during the growth cycle. Thus, the gas barrier and hydrophobic properties of Aloe Vera-based edible coatings could be improved with the addition of lipids since the increase of lipid content in the composition of edible coatings leads to higher hydrophobic properties and barrier efficacy. In this sense, rosehip seed is an inexpensive source of unsaturated fatty acids rich oil and is becoming very popular in cosmetic and other high valuable applications such as in the pharmaceutic industry, due to its antioxidant properties. However, there is no evidence of the use of rosehip oil in the agrofood industry. Thus, the objective of this research was to analyze the beneficial effect of the addition of rosehip oil to Aloe Vera gel on delaying the ripening process and maintaining quality in a wide range of Prunus species and cultivars. As far as we know, this is the first time in which rosehip oil is being used as postharvest fruit treatment.

The post The addition of rosehip oil improves the beneficial effect of Aloe vera gel on delaying ripening and maintaining postharvest quality of several stone fruit. appeared first on AMB Wellness.