Abstract
Ready-to-eat products are damaged by various factors, including exposure to O2 and CO2, extreme temperatures, and rapid decay, due to trauma during processing. The use of natural antimicrobial agents and antioxidants might extend the shelf-life of the fruits. The aim of this work is to investigate the effects of four different antibrowning and gelling agents added into the Aloe vera gel-based edible coatings and applied to fresh-cut papaya. EC1 treatment consists of Aloe vera gel (30% v/v), EC2 contains CaCl2 (5% v/v), EC3 contains K carrageenan (0.5% v/v), and EC4 contains sodium alginate (1.5% v/v) and K carrageenan (0.5% v/v). The fruits treated with EC2 showed the best results while maintaining high values in terms of firmness (that differ from the control of 42.5%), soluble solid content (that differ from the control of 14.6%), and titratable acidity (that differ from the control of 49%). Hence, the addition of CaCl2 also reduces the ripening rate and loss of color without altering the product’s sensory qualities. EC3 and EC4 treatments have provided an oxygen barrier and reduced respiratory rate, increasing the firmness retention and keeping a high C∗ value thanks to K carrageenan and sodium alginate.
Highlights
During the last decade, there has been a marked change in both consumers’ lifestyles and in the climate: the former has stimulated the demand by modern consumers for ready-toeat fruits and vegetables that have been peeled, cut, washed, dried, and packaged in plastic trays and are marketed in refrigerated cases [1]; the second has allowed Mediterranean areas to cultivate tropical and subtropical crops [2]
Similar values were observed for the EC1, EC3, and EC4 treatments, with the former slightly different and with a greater weight loss, while the EC2 treatment was the most effective of all of the treatments and it has created a thin layer on the fruit surface that has probably reduced the weight loss
An important role of this positive effect could be attributed to calcium chloride: Mahajan and Dhatt [41] have reported that calcium might have delayed senescence and reduced the respiration rate and transpiration
Summary
There has been a marked change in both consumers’ lifestyles and in the climate: the former has stimulated the demand by modern consumers for ready-toeat fruits and vegetables that have been peeled, cut, washed, dried, and packaged in plastic trays and are marketed in refrigerated cases [1]; the second has allowed Mediterranean areas to cultivate tropical and subtropical crops [2]. Several conservation techniques have been studied and developed to increase the shelf-life of fresh-cut fruit, such as pickling, drying, high-pressure processing, modified atmospheres, and edible coating. Some of these techniques use additives for increased effectiveness [7]. E edible coating (EC) is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless substance consisting of hydrocolloids, polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, and wax and forms an invisible barrier on the surface of the fruit that separates it from the surrounding atmosphere [8] It reduces water loss and controls microbial growth while preserving fruit quality and giving the product better mechanical resistance [9]. Another interesting aspect is that the products used in edible coating are totally natural and are considered safer for consumption, as they are nontoxic and economical
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