Abstract
Starch–gellan (80:20) coating formulations were applied to apples and persimmons to analyse their effectiveness controlling the weight loss, respiration rate, fruit firmness, and fungal decay during postharvest. Thyme essential oil (EO) was incorporated (0.25 and 0.5 g per g of polymer) directly or encapsulated in lecithin to enhance antifungal action. Coatings did not reduce weight loss or firmness changes in apples, but they prevented water loss in persimmons. In contrast, no significant effect of the coatings was observed on the respiration rates and the respiration quotient of persimmons, whereas the respiration rates and quotient was increased in apples. On the other hand, the coatings without lecithin reduced the incidence and severity of black spot caused by Alternaria alternata in persimmons, regardless of the content of essential oil. Likewise, these reduced the severity of gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea in apples. No positive effect of lecithin in coatings was observed on the postharvest quality and decay in either apples or persimmons, nor did EO exert antifungal action despite its proven effectiveness in in vitro tests.
Highlights
Postharvest diseases are one of the major factors that affect the quality of horticultural fresh products during storage
No significant differences were found between the other coating formulations and the control samples. These results indicate that persimmon fruits were more sensitive to dehydration than apples under these storage conditions, and the coatings with the lowest ratio of emulsified essential oil (EO) exerted a protective effect
Starch–gellan coatings containing or not emulsified or lecithin-encapsulated EO had a different effect on the postharvest parameters when applied on apples and persimmons, depending on the coating composition and type of fruit
Summary
Postharvest diseases are one of the major factors that affect the quality of horticultural fresh products during storage. Fruit fungal infection may occur during flowering, fruit growth, harvesting, transport, packing operations, postharvest storage, or after purchase by the consumer [2]. In fruit that are often stored for extended periods such as apples, field infections that remained latent can resume growth during storage, when the pathogen takes advantage of fruit maturity and environmental conditions and the disease develops (low temperatures and high humidity). In this sense, B. cinerea is very well adapted to low temperatures, and it is even able to grow at 0 ◦ C [6]. Infection starts with a darker circular area where the fruit tissues are softer than the other fruit parts, and subsequent
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
