Aloe vera and ascorbic acid coatings maintain postharvest quality and reduce microbial load of strawberry fruit

Abstract

Rapid loss of quality and decay causes economic loss of strawberries after harvest. The effects of an edible coating based on natural Aloe vera (AV) gel in combination with ascorbic acid (AA; 0, 1, 3 and 5% (w/v)) on postharvest quality of strawberries was studied. After treatment, fruit weight loss, firmness, titratable acidity, soluble solids content (SSC), pH value, concentrations of ascorbic acid, anthocyanin and total phenolics, total antioxidant activity, and microbial activity were evaluated at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 days of storage (1°C, 95% relative humidity). Compared with untreated fruit, AV+AA treatments delayed weight loss, had higher SSC, vitamin C concentrations and titratable acidity. The coatings reduced total aerobic mesophilic, yeasts and molds populations. AV+5% AA was the most effective in delaying changes in the ripening and reducing microbial populations among the treatments. These results demonstrate that AV and AA coatings have potential to maintain postharvest fruit quality of strawberry fruit.