Abstract
This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of a nanoemulsion containing the bioactive compounds of orange essential oil and xoconostle (Opuntia oligacantha C.F. Först) on maintaining and improving the quality of the shelf life of tomato fruits. The nanoemulsion was applied as a coating on the whole fruits during physiological maturity; the treatments were thus: Control 1 without coating (C1); Control 2 with food-grade mineral oil coating (C2); and nanoemulsions that were diluted with mineral oil at 2.5% (DN2.5), 5% (DN5), 10% (DN10), and 20% (DN20). Further, the following parameters were determined for 21 days: the percentage weight loss, firmness, colour, pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid content, total phenols, flavonoids, tannins, antioxidant activities DPPH and ABTS, and the histological evaluation of the pericarp of the fruits. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed during the treatments; DN10 and DN20 obtained the best weight loss results (3.27 ± 0.31% and 3.71 ± 0.30%, respectively) compared with C1 and C2. The DN5 and DN20 textures exhibited the highest firmness (11.56 ± 0.33 and 11.89 ± 1.04 N, respectively). The antioxidant activity (DPPH on Day 21) was higher in the DN20 treatment (48.19 ± 0.95%) compared with in C1 (39.52 ± 0.30%) and C2 (38.14 ± 0.76%). Histological evaluation revealed that the nanoemulsion coating allowed a slower maturation of the cells in the pericarp of the fruits. The nanoemulsion, as a coat, improved the quality and valuable life of the tomato regarding its physicochemical and antioxidant properties, thus availing an effective alternative for conserving this fruit.
Highlights
The obtained W/O dispersion exhibited a droplet size of 91 ± 9 nm, as well as a ζ of −197 ± 4 mV, indicating the excellent stability of the system against phase separation
The nanoemulsion–coated fruits exhibited a low weight loss percent, which was evident from day 14, highlighting the DN10 and DN20 treatments
These differences became evident on day 21, indicating that C1 exhibited a final weight loss of >6% (Figure 1), which demonstrated the positive effect of the applied coatings
Summary
The fruit exhibits a reduced post-harvest life. Tomato undergoes considerable physiological changes during transport and storage [3]. To mitigate these setbacks, preservation methods, such as the utilization of controlled atmospheres, refrigeration, chemical treatments, and coatings, have been developed in recent years [4]. Edible coatings are thin layers which act as a barrier between food and its environment [5]. Edible coatings are attracting attention because of their inexpensiveness and composition of environmentally benign materials [6,7,8]
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