Authors Ozturk, B., Karakaya, O., Yildiz, K., and Saracoglu, O.
Cheery laurel is a naturally growing fruit species of Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey. Black Sea region is among the most significant habitats of cherry laurel fruit. As well as fresh consumptions, fruit are also consumed as dried, brined, molasses, jam, marmalade or processed into fruit juice. Cherry laurel is also colloquially known as a medicinal plant. Fresh fruit and seeds are used in folk medicine for the treatment of various diseases. Stones of fruit are used to expel kidney stones, used in treatment of stomach ulcer, bronchitis, digestive system disorders and used to strengthen the bones and to adjust acid-base balance of blood. Fruit is used as diuretic, antispasmodic and antitussive and used in treatment of eczema and hemorrhoid. Fruit is quite rich in phenolics and have quite high antioxidant capacity. Preservation of fruit and vegetables with a minimum loss of quality is only possible with the storage under proper conditions. For this purpose, besides cold storage, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and coating technologies are also used to decelerate metabolic processes, especially respiration effective in ripening. Gas diffusion characteristics of the packaging material and respiration of plant tissues generate a gas exchange in package. With coating treatments, a semi-permeable layer is created over the product outer surface and thus moisture loss, respiration and oxidative reactions are reduced. In this way, natural ripening process of the fruit is delayed. Just because of concerns about chemicals regarding environment and human health, there is an ever-increasing interest in Aloe vera-like natural substances. Aloe vera-like gel-based edible coatings (alginate, chitosan, cellulose etc.) were used to reduce microorganism activity, delay oxidative stress, decelerate respiration rate, and fruit ripening, delay losses in fruit weight and flesh firmness in table grapes, sweet cherries, and nectarines. To preserve fruit quality attributes, chitosan was used as a coating material in peaches and nectarines, pectin was used in melons, alginate was used in apples and cherries, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-beeswax and their proteins were used in plums.
