Prefreezing application of whey protein‐based edible coating to maintain quality attributes of strawberries

Prefreezing application of whey protein concentrate (WPC)‐based edible coating to maintain quality attributes of strawberries was studied. Beeswax (BW) was added to the solutions (0%, 20% and 40% with respect to the solids contained in the mixture WPC/glycerol). Coated and control fruits were frozen, stored at ?20 °C and thawed. After thawing, weight loss, firmness, microstructure and colour parameters were measured. Coating with 20% BW reduced strawberries weight loss after thawing (55%). Strawberries firmness was maintained equally in all groups analysed although a slight improvement at the cell microstructure alterations caused by the freezing process was observed in coated fruits. Strawberries brightness was similar in all groups. Colour parameter a* showed a tendency to decrease with the increasing BW concentration, and only b* of coated fruits was lower than controls. The application of whey protein coating could be an attractive treatment to maintain quality attributes of strawberries undergoing the freezing process.     

Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene and/or chitosan coating treatments on storage life and quality maintenance of Indian jujube fruit

Indian jujube (Ziziphphus mauritina, cv. ‘Cuimi’) fruits were harvested at stage of mature-green and then treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) at two doses (0 and 600 nl l⁻¹) for 12 h at room temperature. Half of the fruits were coated with 1.5 g/100 ml of chitosan (CTS) solution after 1-MCP treatment and subsequently stored at room temperature and 80-90% relative humidity (RH). Results indicated that 600 nl l⁻¹ of 1-MCP, 1.5 g/100 ml of CTS or their combination were effective in terms of senescence inhibition during storage and compared to control, the storage life was extended by 7, 5 and 8 d, respectively. Fruits treated with the combination of 1-MCP and CTS coating showed better retention of chlorophyll content, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid and fruit firmness, delayed climacteric ethylene evolution and respiration rate, reduced stem-end rots incidence, decreased PG and LOX activities than those with other treatments. Coating alone reduced weight loss and stem-end rots incidence. It delayed the declining firmness and the onset of climacteric ethylene production and respiration rate, but did not influence the peak levels of ethylene and respiration rates. The treatment with only 1-MCP delayed the degreening process and suppressed PG and LOX activities through 10 d at room temperature. The results showed that the treatment with the combination of 1-MCP and CTS coating improved greatly the storage life extension and quality maintenance of Indian jujube fruit at room temperature storage.     

Effect of chitosan coatings on the physicochemical characteristics of Eksotika II papaya (Carica papaya L.) fruit during cold storage

The effect of chitosan on the physicochemical characteristics of Eksotika II papaya fruit stored at 12 ± 1 °C and 85–90% relative humidity, was investigated. Chitosan provided an effective control in reducing weight loss, maintained firmness, delayed changes in the peel colour and soluble solids concentration during 5 weeks of storage. The titratable acidity declined throughout the storage period, though at a slower rate in the chitosan coated fruit as compared to the control. Sensory evaluation results also confirmed the efficacy of chitosan. Consequently, the internal gaseous concentrations of CO₂ and O₂ also proved the usefulness of chitosan. These findings suggest that chitosan can be used commercially for prolonging the storage life of Eksotika II papaya fruit.     

Cell wall-modifying enzymes and firmness loss in ripening ‘Golden Reinders’ apples: A comparison between calcium dips and ULO storage

Calcium treatment and storage under ultra-low oxygen (ULO) conditions are common post-harvest practices aimed at delaying ripening-related softening of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) fruit, but the biochemical mechanisms underlying these effects have not been determined conclusively to date. In this study, commercially mature ‘Golden Reinders’ apples were dipped in 2% calcium chloride prior to storage at 1 °C and 92% RH under either regular air or ultra-low oxygen (ULO; 1kPa O₂:2kPa CO₂) for 19 or 31 weeks, and kept thereafter at 20 °C for 0, 7 or 14 days in order to simulate the usual marketing time. Cell wall composition and cell wall-modifying enzyme activities were determined in relation to fruit firmness. ULO-storage and calcium dips were effective for firmness preservation, seemingly due to decreased pectin solubilisation. β-Galactosidase, α-l-arabinofuranosidase and pectate lyase activities were correlated positively with firmness loss of ‘Golden Reinders’ fruit after storage.     

Freezing of strawberries by immersion in CaCl2 solutions

The present investigation studied the freezing of strawberries by immersion in CaCl₂ solutions, analysing drip loss, pectin content and the degree of esterification of the pectins, total and cell-wall bonded calcium contents, the ratio bonded calcium/total calcium, and textural parameters. In addition, the effect of immersion in pectin methylesterase (PME) solutions prior to immersion freezing (IF) was analysed. The firmness of thawed fruit decreased by approximately 74% with respect to fresh strawberries, and neither IF-CA (freezing by immersion in CaCl₂ solution) nor PME–IF-CA (immersion in PME solution + freezing by immersion in CaCl₂ solution) provided significant benefit in maintaining firmness when compared to slow freezing (SF). However, IF provided a significant benefit in reducing drip loss of thawed strawberries when compared to SF, but pre-treatment with PME did not provide any additional benefit.     

Coating citrus (Murcott tangor) fruit with low molecular weight chitosan increases postharvest quality and shelf life

This study investigates the effects of coating with low molecular weight chitosan (LMWC, Mw = 15 kDa) and high molecular weight chitosan (HMWC, Mw = 357 kDa) on the decay of Murcott tangor and the maintenance of its quality. A 0.1% LMWC coating substantially slowed the decay of Murcott tangor stored at 15 °C in relation to a control sample and reduced decay by over 20% as compared to the fungicide TBZ. A concentration of 0.2% LMWC was more effective in controlling the growth of fungus on citrus fruits caused by Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum, exhibiting effective antifungal activity. LMWC coating improved firmness, titratable acidity, ascorbic acidity and the water content for Murcott tangor stored at 15 °C for 56 days. Consequently, Murcott tangor coated with LMWC exhibited greater antifungal resistance than TBZ and its quality was maintained for longer.     

Increasing shelf life of strawberries (Fragaria ssp) by using a banana starch-chitosan-Aloe vera gel composite edible coating

Strawberries are among the most consumed fruits in the world, however, they are highly susceptible to both microbial and fungal contamination during storage. In this study, we used composite films made from banana starch-chitosan and Aloe vera gel (AV gel) at different AV gel concentrations. Our results show that AV gel inclusion can significantly reduce fungal decay, increasing strawberries shelf life up to 15 day of storage at the highest AV gel concentration (20%), while maintaining their physicochemical properties, such as colour and firmness. Weight loss was reduced 5% with respect of the uncoated fruit. Our results can be attributed to the limited water vapour transfer allowed by the edible coating, this is the result of the crosslinking effect of the different AV gel and starch molecules that allows a more controlled decay of the strawberries in commercial storage conditions.     

Influence of nano-ZnO on microbial growth,bioactive content and postharvest quality of strawberries during storage

A rapid decline of quality causes economic loss of strawberries after harvest. Treatments based on nano-ZnO at different concentrations (0.03%, 0.07% and 0.5%) were used to prolong the shelf-life of strawberry fruit in cold storage. After treatments microbial growth, weight loss, firmness, titratable acidity, soluble solid content, pH value, vitamin C, anthocyanin and total phenolics and antioxidant activity were evaluated at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 days of storage. Furthermore, the levels of zinc and the sensory attributes of treated strawberries were evaluated three days after treatment. Nano-ZnO treatments decreased the microbial load during fruit storage (total mesophilic bacteria in control and 0.5% nano-ZnO treated strawberries were 4.35 and 3.67 Log CFU g^− 1, respectively). Treatments delayed weight loss, retained fruit firmness and maintained anthocyanin, vitamin C, phenol content and antioxidant activity at higher concentration than those of untreated fruit. Fruit sweetness and aftertaste attributes were not affected by treatments but the 0.5% ZnO treated fruit was less luminous (1.6) compared to control (5.6). 0.5% nano-ZnO was the most effective in delaying changes in the ripening and reducing microbial populations among the treatments. These findings indicated that the nano-ZnO might provide an alternative to maintain quality and control decay of fresh strawberries during extended storage.Industrial relevanceStrawberries are a highly perishable fruit and postharvest life is limited to 4 days or even shorter at room temperature or 2 weeks at cold storage, therefore finding a method to extend the shelf life of strawberries is important. Modified atmosphere packaging is a useful method but control of spoilage microorganisms is still a problem. Fruit coating has great potential to extend fruit postharvest life and maintain nutritional quality. Nano-ZnO may be an effective alternative.     

Methyl jasmonate enhances biocontrol efficacy of Rhodotorula glutinis to postharvest blue mold decay of pears

The effect of Rhodotorula glutinis treatment alone or in combination with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) in controlling blue mold decay, the natural fungal decay of pears and the postharvest quality parameters including fruit firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and ascorbic acid were investigated. The combination of methyl jasmonate (200 μM) and R. glutinis (1 × 10⁸ CFU/ml) was a more effective approach to reduce the disease incidence and lesion diameter of blue mold decay of pears than the application of MeJA or R. glutinis alone after incubation for 7 d at 20 °C. The natural fungal decay of pears treated with the application of R. glutinis combined with MeJA resulted in reduced average decay incidence of 10.42% or 4.16%, respectively, compared with 27.17% or 20.83% in the control fruits following storage at 20 °C for 15 d or 4 °C for 60 d followed by 20 °C for 15 d. The combined treatment did not impair quality parameters of fruits under both conditions.     

Antifungal Coatings on Fresh Strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) to Control Mold Growth During Cold Storage

ABSTRACT: Chitosan (2%) -based or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) (1%) -based coatings were applied on fresh strawberries to evaluate their antifungal efficacies against Cladosporium sp. and Rhizopus sp. Potassium sorbate (PS) was also incorporated into coating formulas to evaluate any additional inhibitory effects on mold inhibition. Strawberries were inoculated with Cladosporium sp. or Rhizopus sp. at a level of approximately 10³ log colony-forming units (CFU) /g, coated with 2% chitosan, 2% chitosan containing 0.3% PS, or 1% HPMC containing 0.3% PS, and stored at about 5°C and about 50% RH up to 23 d for enumeration of mold, yeast, total aerobes, and coli forms. To assess antifungal activity of the coating materials in vitro, coating solutions were embedded into agar plates and the diameters of radial mold growth were measured after inoculation. In addition, weight loss of coated strawberries and water vapor permeability of the coatings were measured. No significant combined inhibitory effects between chitosan and PS on fungal growth on fresh strawberries were detected. However, significant combined inhibition activity was observed in in vitro testing when PS was formulated into chitosan. Antifungal activity of chitosan against Cladosporium sp. and Rhizopus sp. was not affected by the autoclaving process of coating solutions. Coating treatment also reduced total aerobic count, coliforms, and weight loss of strawberries during storage. Hence, chitosan can be used as a natural antimicrobial coating on fresh strawberries to control the growth of fungi, thus extending shelf-life of the fruits.     

Effect of ultraviolet irradiation combined with chitosan coating on preservation of jujube under ambient temperature

The effect of ultraviolet irradiation combined with chitosan coating on fresh jujube under ambient temperature was investigated. In the first period, the jujubes were irradiated for 4, 6, 8, 10 min at 253.7 nm ultraviolet, or coated with 1%, 1.5%, 2% and 2.5% of chitosan, respectively. In the second period, the jujubes were firstly irradiated 6 min, and then coated with 1.5% of chitosan. The result showed that combined treatment could reduce decay incidence of jujubes and restrain increase of respiration rate, weight loss, malonaldehyde content and electrolyte leakage of jujubes. Furthermore, the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase were maintained at higher level, and the decrease of ascorbic acid and chlorophyll was restricted. The present data indicated that treating post-harvest jujubes with ultraviolet irradiation combined with chitosan coating was an effective method, and might be considered in commercial application for preservation of postharvest fruit.     

Influences of preharvest spraying Cryptococcus laurentii combined with postharvest chitosan coating on postharvest diseases and quality of table grapes in storage

The effects of preharvest spray with Cryptococcus laurentii combined with chitosan coating after harvest on decay and quality of table grapes during storage periods were evaluated in the present study. Preharvest spray with C. laurentii (PreA) significantly decreased decay index (DI), and postharvest chitosan coating (PCC) enhanced the effectiveness of the pre-harvest spray when fruits were stored at 0 °C. PreA combination with PCC increased the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) of fruit in storage. PreA + PCC treatment was effective in reducing weight loss of fruits by 85% at 17 d storage and 38% at 42 d storage as compared to PreA alone at the same stage. In addition, PreA enhanced the ratio of soluble solids content (SSC) to titratable acid (TA) by 12% at harvest time, 7% at 17 d storage and 25% at 42 d storage, mainly by increasing SSC and decreasing TA in fruit stored at 0 °C. These results suggested that integration of preharvest spray with C. laurentii and postharvest chitosan coating treatment may be a promising management strategy for decay control and quality maintenance of table grapes.     

Enzyme infusion prior to thermal/high pressure processing of strawberries: Mechanistic insight into firmness evolution

Strawberries were infused with fungal pectinmethylesterase (PME) and calcium chloride, followed by a thermal (70 °C–0.1 MPa), a high pressure (25 °C–550 MPa) or a combined thermal-high pressure (70 °C–550 MPa) process. Macroscopic (firmness) and microscopic characteristics were assessed to evaluate the texture of the fruits. In order to interpret the texture changes, the chemical structure of pectin was investigated. Processing of strawberries caused a decrease in firmness, which was limited by infusion of PME and calcium chloride, although the extent of beneficial effects depended on the type of processing. PME was able to decrease the degree of methoxylation of pectin, which was accompanied by an increased crosslinking of the chains. During high pressure or combined thermal-high pressure processing, the degree of methoxylation of pectin in infused strawberries was even further decreased, probably due to a higher activity of the fungal PME under high pressure. In case of the high pressure process, this was reflected in a very firm texture. However, the combined thermal-high pressure process caused more severe tissue damage, in spite of the advantageous pectin properties.Industrial relevanceDuring high pressure processing of strawberries many nutritional and sensorial characteristics are quite well preserved. Unfortunately, texture of strawberries deteriorates during such processes. This paper provides mechanistic insight into how infusion of fungal pectinmethylesterase and calcium ions in strawberries can preserve the firmness of these fruits during high pressure processing.     

Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum and chitosan in the reduction of browning of pericarp Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum)

The effects of Lactobacillus plantarum alone or in combination with chitosan were evaluated on quality and color retention in rambutan fruits (Nephelium lappaceum) stored at 25 °C and 10 °C with 75 ± 2.5% of relative humidity for 10 and 15 days, respectively. The development of the microorganisms was evidenced by viability analyses and lactic acid production. The application of L. plantarum significantly improved color retention (a* and L*), and reduced weight losses. The lactobacilli, alone or in combination with chitosan, preserved fruit quality characteristics such as firmness, total soluble solids and titratable acidity. The lactobacilli application on rambutan pericarp produced acidification of pericarp and avoided the browning; thereby desiccation was prevented due to biofilm formation.     

Hot water bath treatments assisted by microwave energy to delay postharvest ripening and decay in strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa)

BACKGROUND: A lab‐scale approach using microwave (MW)‐assisted hot water treatments was developed and tested to assess the potential of this heating method to delay postharvest ripening and decay in strawberries. Strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) immersed in water were exposed to microwaves at a frequency of 2450 MHz for 3 min at 514 W or 1 min 50 s at 763 W to reach an average temperature of 43.8 ± 0.6 °C at the fruit centre. Another batch was treated in hot water at 45 °C for 15 min, and a final batch was not treated (control). RESULTS: After 9 days of refrigerated storage (3 °C and 90% relative humidity), all heat‐treated strawberries showed significant retention of quality parameters such as colour and firmness and significantly lower yeast and mould populations (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Strawberries subjected to MW‐assisted hot water treatments showed significantly better retention of lightness compared with conventionally treated berries. A short (1 min 50 s) treatment at 763 W was the best choice to prevent strawberry decay. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

The effects of the combination of Pichia membranefaciens and BTH on controlling of blue mould decay caused by Penicillium expansum in peach fruit

The feasibility of 0.2 g l⁻¹ benzo-thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methyl ester (BTH) to improve the efficacy of Pichia membranefaciens in controlling postharvest blue mould decay in peach fruit was investigated. Our results showed that biocontrol activity of P. membranefaciens against blue mould caused by Penicillium expansum in peach fruit could be enhanced by addition of 0.2 g l⁻¹ BTH. The combination of P. membranefaciens and BTH resulted in a more effective control of blue mould than individual treatment of P. membranefaciens or BTH alone. The combined treatment had a synergistic effect on the induction of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase activities, which induced stronger disease resistance in fruit than BTH or yeast alone, and resulted in a lower lesion diameter and disease incidence of blue mould decay in peaches. Furthermore, the combined treatment did not impair the quality parameters including fruit firmness and contents of total soluble solids, titratable acidity and vitamin C of peach fruit after 6 days of storage at 20 °C. These results suggested that the use of BTH may be an effective method to improve the biological activity of P. membranefaciens.     

Diffusion of calcium gluconate in aqueous solutions of lactose at 298.15 K

Binary mutual diffusion coefficients (interdiffusion coefficients) of calcium gluconate (C₁₂H₂₂CaO₁₄) in water at 298.15 K and at concentrations between 0.001 and 0.0500 mol dm⁻³ have been measured, using a Taylor dispersion method. These data are discussed on the basis of the Onsager-Fuoss model. Based on these data, the equivalent conductance at infinitesimal concentration of the gluconate ion in the studied solutions has been estimated. Through the same technique, ternary mutual diffusion coefficients (D₁₁, D₂₂, D₁₂ and D₂₁) for aqueous solutions containing calcium gluconate and lactose, at T = 298.15 K, and at different carrier concentrations, were also measured. These data permit us to have a better understanding of the structure of these systems and the thermodynamic behaviour of calcium gluconate in different media.     

Enzyme infusion and thermal processing of strawberries: Pectin conversions related to firmness evolution

Strawberries were infused with fungal pectinmethylesterase (PME) and/or calcium chloride with the aim of minimising tissue damage during subsequent thermal processing (95 °C). Firmness measurements and micrographs provided information on the extent of tissue damage. These observations were linked to the chemical structure of pectin. When PME was infused in absence of Ca²⁺, the degree of methoxylation of pectin was lowered, but chains remained water soluble, indicating that they were not crosslinked. Thermal processing of PME-infused strawberries resulted in pectin solubilisation and depolymerisation which was reflected in pronounced firmness decrease and tissue damage, comparable to non-infused processed strawberries. On the other hand, when a combination of both PME and Ca²⁺ was infused, an important decrease in processing-related tissue damage was perceived. This can be explained by increased crosslinking of pectin chains with low degree of methoxylation, rendering them insoluble and less susceptible to thermal depolymerisation.     

Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene on ripening of postharvest persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) fruit

Postharvest persimmon fruit (Diospyros kaki L. cv. Qiandaowuhe) was stored at 20 °C after being exposed to 3 μl l⁻¹ 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) for 6 h or not (control). Several parameters (firmness, respiration and ethylene production, pectic substances and cell wall hydrolysis enzymes activities) were examined to determine the efficacy of 1-MCP treatment in delaying persimmon fruit ripening. Results showed that ‘Qiandaowuhe’ persimmon fruit displayed a typical climacteric pattern of respiration and ethylene production. Peak CO₂ production and ethylene production was observed on the fourth day. Fruit softening was accompanied by a progressive increase in water-soluble pectic substances (WSP) and a progressive decrease in chelator-soluble pectic substances (CSP) and alkali-soluble pectic substances (ASP). The activities of pectinmethylesterase (PME) and polygalacturonase (PG) started increasing sharply and reached a maximal value on days 4 and 6, respectively, and then decreased slowly. 1-MCP treatment delayed the onset of climacteric ethylene production and respiration in persimmon fruit, and also significantly retarded the activities of PME and PG during ripening at 20 °C. Consistent with the activity trends of cell wall hydrolysis enzymes, 1-MCP treatment also delayed the depolymerization of CSP and ASP and reduced the increase of WSP compared with the control fruit. Thus, application of 1-MCP can greatly extend the postharvest life of ‘Qiandaowuhe’ persimmon fruit.