Abstract
Papaya production plays an important economic role in Mexico’s economy. After harvest, it continues to ripen, leading to softening, skin color changes, development of strong aroma, and microbial spoilage. The objective of this work was to apply an active coating of chitosan–starch to increase papaya shelf life and to evaluate physicochemical and antimicrobial properties of the coating. Papaya surfaces were coated with a chitosan-oxidized starch (1:3 w/w) solution and stored at room temperature (25 ± 1 °C) for 15 days. Variables measured were color, titratable acidity, vitamin C, pH, soluble solids, volatile compounds by gas chromatography, texture, homogeneity by image analysis, and coating antimicrobial activity. At the end of the storage time, there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between coated and uncoated papayas for pH (4.3 ± 0.2), titratable acidity (0.12% ± 0.01% citric acid), and soluble solids (12 ± 0.2 °Bx). Papaya firmness decreased to 10 N for coated and 0.5 N for uncoated papayas. Volatile compounds identified in uncoated papaya (acetic acid, butyric acid, ethyl acetate, ethyl butanoate) are related to fermentation. Total microbial population of coated papaya decreased after 15 days, whereas population of uncoated papaya increased. This active coating permitted longer shelf life of papaya than that of the uncoated fruit.
Highlights
Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a perennial plant with a rapid growth, and it provides fruits for more than twenty years [1]
According to firmness values, uncoated papaya achieved its final stage of ripening after 5 days of storage, while coated fruit reached this stage after 15 days [4]
Edible coatings exhibited a positive effect on papaya shelf life kept at room temperature, preserving its properties during a longer storage time than uncoated fruits
Summary
Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a perennial plant with a rapid growth, and it provides fruits for more than twenty years [1]. Papaya is considered one of the most important fruits worldwide because of its high contents of ascorbic acid, provitamin A, calcium, and carotenoids [2]. Mexico is the third largest producer worldwide of this fruit with 951,922 t in 2016 [3]. Papaya maturation after harvest involves various metabolic processes; first, papaya is mature, hard and inedible, and after a few days of being harvested, the edible fruit becomes sweet, soft, and aromatic. An uncontrolled fruit maturation process can cause pulp softening, changes in skin and pulp color, and strong aroma development; all this is related to increased ethylene production causing postharvest losses [5]
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