Abstract
The strawberry is as non-climacteric fruit, but has a high post-harvest respiration rate, which leads to a rapid deterioration at room temperature. This study aimed to evaluate the application of biodegradable coating on postharvest conservation of organic strawberries, cv. Camarosa, packed in plastic hinged boxes and stored at 10ºC. The treatments consisted of: a) control; b) 2% cassava starch; c) 1% chitosan; and d) 2% cassava starch + 1% chitosan. Physical and chemical characteristics of fruits were evaluated at 3, 6 and 9 days of storage, and microbiological and sensory analyses were carried out at the end of the storage period. The treatments influenced positively the post-harvest quality of organic strawberries. The coating cassava starch + chitosan provided the best results, with less than 6% of loss in fruit mass, lower counts of yeast and psychrophilic microorganisms and the best appearance according to the sensory analysis.
Highlights
The use of low temperatures helps in increasing the post-harvest storage life and is the basis for complementary methods of preserving fruit, such as controlling or modifying the atmosphere and use of edible films (Santos et al, 2007)
Chitosan coating has the potential to prolong storage life and control fruit rots because of its ability to modify the internal atmosphere in tissues and its fungistatic activity, as well as the ability to induce defense mechanisms in plants and fruits against infections caused by a variety of pathogens (No et al, 2007)
Fruit mass loss was significant among the treatments over the periods of three, six and nine days
Summary
The use of low temperatures helps in increasing the post-harvest storage life and is the basis for complementary methods of preserving fruit, such as controlling or modifying the atmosphere and use of edible films (Santos et al, 2007). Coatings produced from biopolymers have numerous advantages, including being biodegradable while having good mechanical and barrier properties, and helping to improve the appearance and preserve the gustatory and nutritional properties of foods (Villadiego et al, 2005). Chitosan coating has the potential to prolong storage life and control fruit rots because of its ability to modify the internal atmosphere in tissues and its fungistatic activity, as well as the ability to induce defense mechanisms in plants and fruits against infections caused by a variety of pathogens (No et al, 2007). The coating produced with cassava starch has good appearance, is bright and transparent, non-toxic and has low cost. Its application to strawberries resulted in decreased mass losses, preservation of texture and longer shelf-life (Henrique & Cereda, 1999)
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