Chitosan and graphene oxide-based biodegradable bags: An eco-friendly and effective packaging alternative to maintain postharvest quality of ‘Palmer’ mango

Abstract

Mango is a highly appreciated tropical fruit with high respiration rate and ethylene production, which makes it highly perishable after harvest. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of chitosan and graphene oxide-based biodegradable bags on the postharvest quality of ‘Palmer’ mangoes during cold storage. The fruit were harvested at the recommended maturity stage and were stored for 56 days at 12 °C without bagging (control), as well as in chitosan-based bag, chitosan-based bag with graphene oxide, and polyethylene-based bag. According to the results, the bags evaluated in our study delayed mango ripening, maintaining external appearance, skin and flesh colors, firmness, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), SS/TA ratio, β-carotene and chlorophyll contents in the fruit. In addition, bagging the fruit reduced weight loss, respiration rate and anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) incidence and severity during storage. Our results suggest that chitosan-based biodegradable bags are an ecological and effective alternative to maintain postharvest quality of ‘Palmer’ mango during cold storage.