Enhancement of Quality and Storability of Avocado (<i>Persea americana</i>) Fruit Using a Blend of Aloe Vera Gel and Corn Starch as Surface Coating

Abstract

Avocado has fairly short shelf life so as included in climacteric fruits. The search for biodegradable, safe, healthy and environmental friendly treatments for increasing storage period of fruits has led to use of edible coatings. The study was conducted to check the efficacy of aloe Vera gel, corn starch and composite of the two as an edible coating. The treatment combinations were T0 = control, T1 = corn starch (2.5%) and T2 = Aloe Vera gel (1%) T3=aloe Vera and corn starch (2.5%, 2.5%). Weight loss; pH; colour; firmness and TSS were recorded at the interval of 5 days for 30 days. Aloe Vera coating was very effective in reducing ascorbic acid loss and decay (%). The control fruits started deteriorated before 8 days, whereas, shelf life extended to 26 days for majority of aloe Vera gel alone and with corn starch coated fruits. Finally, T0 showed 21.02% loss in weight, whereas coated avocado fruits as T1 showed 16.89%, T2 and T3 were 9.56% and 9.48% by weight loss, respectively. Both the corn starch and aloe Vera gel edible coating was found good enough to ensure hardness/firmness of the fruits. Consequently it can be concluded that both coating films are a good barriers.