Abstract
The effects of gum arabic coatings combined with lemongrass oil and/or pomegranate peel extract on freshly harvested mature ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate fruit were studied. Fruit were coated with gum arabic (GA) (1.5% w/v) alone or enriched with lemongrass oil (LM) (0.1% v/v) and/or pomegranate peel extract (PP) (1% w/v). Fruit were packed into standard open top ventilated cartons (dimensions: 0.40 m long, 0.30 m wide and 0.12 m high), and stored for 6 weeks at 5 ± 1 °C (90% RH). Evaluations were made every 2 weeks of cold storage and after 5 d of shelf life (20 °C and 65% RH). Fruit coated with GA + PP (4.09%) and GA + PP + LM (4.21%) coatings recorded the least cumulative weight loss compared to the uncoated control (9.87%). After 6 weeks, uncoated control and GA + PP + LM recorded the highest (24.55 mg CO2Kg−1h−1) and lowest (10.76 mg CO2Kg−1h−1) respiration rate, respectively. Coating treatments reduced the incidence of decay and treatments GA + LM + PP and GA + PP recorded the highest total flavonoid content between 2 and 6 weeks of storage. The findings suggest that GA coatings with/without LM and PP can be a beneficial postharvest treatment for ‘Wonderful’ pomegranates to reduce weight loss and decay development during cold storage.
Highlights
Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a non-climacteric fruit with unique taste and flavor
‘Wonderful’ pomegranate whole fruit coated with gum arabic (GA) coatings enriched with lemongrass oil (LM) (0.1% v/v) and/or pomegranate peel extract (PP) (1% w/v) and stored at 5 ± 1 ◦ C (95 ± 2% RH)
PJ) and (c) ABTS+ of ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate whole fruit coated with gum arabic (GA) coatings enriched with lemongrass oil (LM) (0.1% v/v) and/pomegranate peel extract (PP)
Summary
Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a non-climacteric fruit with unique taste and flavor. It is grown in several tropical and sub-tropical regions, including the Mediterranean, China, India, South Africa and America [1]. Polyphenolic compounds found in pomegranate include flavonoids (such as pelargonidin, delphinidin, catechin, epicatechin and quercetin), tannins (ellagitannins, ellagic acid, punicalagin, punicalin and pedunculagin) and phenolic acids (such as chlorogenic, ellagic, gallic and cinnamic acid) [4,5]. Based on these constituents, the pomegranate exhibits antimicrobial, anti-viral, anti-cancer, potent antioxidant and anti-mutagenic properties [2]. Mphahlele et al [14] reported that packing ‘Wonderful’
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