Authors Athmaselvi, K.A.; Sumitha, P.; Revathy, B.
Tomato is a climacteric fruit and continues to ripen after harvest. During ripening, the green pigment chlorophyll degrades, and carotenoids are synthesized, for fresh tomatoes, the two quality attributes that are most important to buyers and consumers are texture and skin colour. Texture is influenced by flesh firmness and skin strength. Softening during storage, distribution and ripening of tomatoes can be a major problem because it may increase their susceptibility to damage. There is increasing consumer concern about the eating quality of tomatoes. After harvest, ripening continues, and tomatoes can become overripe very rapidly. This can result in loss of quality and restricted shelf life; Tomatoes are harvested at different stages of maturity depending on the purpose for which they are required. Several stages of maturity are recognized mature green fruits are those which have not begun to turn pink, while those classed as turning show some pink at the blossom end; half-ripe fruits show pink colour over most or all the surface; ripe or red-ripe fruits are those that have developed the full colour peculiar to the type but are, at the same time, firm. Ripe fruits can be picked profitably if the market is close by. For transport to distant places, fruits are harvested at the half-ripe stage; they develop normal colour in 3-7 days. Fruits for canning or for juice extraction are harvested when they reach the ripe stage, and processed soon after, there is a high production of tomato fruits during the harvest time, but post-harvest processing and preservation techniques are inefficient. Therefore, fruits spoil very early because of lack of appropriate systems of preservation and processing, Edible coatings can provide an additional protective coating for fresh products and can also give the same effect as modified atmosphere storage in modifying internal gas composition. The concept of using edible coatings to extend shelf life of fresh and minimally processed produce and to protect them from harmful environmental effects has been emphasized based on the need for high quality and the demand for minimal food processing and storage technologies. By regulating the transfer of moisture, oxygen, carbon dioxide, aroma, and taste compounds in a food system, edible coatings have demonstrated the capability of improving food quality and prolonging shelf life of fresh produce. An ideal coating is defined as one that can extend storage life of fresh fruit without causing anaerobiosis, and that reduces decay without affecting the quality of the fruit, Aloe vera can provide many benefits to human health. The gel works better through a combination of mechanisms. Composed mostly of polysaccharides, the gel appears to act as a natural barrier to moisture and oxygen which can speed up food deterioration. It can also enhance food safety. Aloe vera gel appears to contain various antibiotic and antifungal compounds that can potentially delay or inhibit microorganisms that are responsible for food borne illness in humans as well as food spoilage, Aloe vera gel-based edible coatings have been shown to prevent loss of moisture and firmness, control respiratory rate and maturation development, delay oxidative browning, and reduce microorganism proliferation on sweet cherries A. vera, along with functional ingredients applied as an edible coating on the change in physicochemical parameters related to tomato quality during storage and its role in extending the shelf life of tomato
