Effect of aloe vera gel-glycerol edible coating on the shelf-life and the kinetics of colour change of minimally processed cucumber during storage

Abstract

The effect of aloe vera (AV) gel-glycerol edible coating on the shelf-life of minimally processed cucumber was studied. To assess the optimal coating formulation, four concentrations (0, 30, 50 and 100% [v/v]) were tested. Coated cucumber slices were stored at 4 ± 1°C and at 20 ± 1°C. Slices coated with 50% and 100% AV showed reduced physicochemical changes and suppressed microbial loads while maintaining overall visual quality (OVQ) during storage. Therefore, a substantial AV gel concentration (50% or more) with 0.5% glycerol is recommended as a potential treatment for shelf-life extension of minimally processed cucumber. A first-order kinetic model fitted well to the experimental data of L*, a*, and b* colour space parameters, and the effect of storage temperature on colour changes was successfully described by Arrhenius' law. Thus, the kinetic parameters can be used to predict the shelf-life of fresh-cut cucumber during storage.