PROLONGING STORAGE AND SHELF LIFE OF “ANNA” APPLE FRUITS BY USING CHITOSAN AND SOME NATURAL ANTIOXCIDANTS

Abstract

This study was carried out during two successive seasons of 2016 and 2017 in aprivate orchard located in Abo Hommos district, Beheira Governorate, Egypt to evaluate the effect ofsome postharvest treatments included: 2% (W/V) chitosan, 200 ppm citric acid, 200 ppm ascorbic acid,2 mmol/l salicylic acid, chitosan plus citric acid, chitosan plus ascorbic acid and finally chitosan plussalicylic acid, all at the above- mentioned concentrations on decay, firmness as well as other qualityparameters of “Anna” apple fruits during cold storage at 2±1oC with 90- 95% RH for three months andafter post- storage shelf life at ambient temperature for five days. The results revealed that fruit decay,fresh weight loss, electrolyte leakage, total sugars, total soluble solids (TSS) as well as anthocyaninand carotene contents were increased, while firmness, vitamin C and acidity were decreased with theprogress of cold storage and post- storage shelf life periods. Furthermore, the results indicated that allapplied treatments reduced the incidence of fruit decay and fruit fresh weight loss. Furthermore,postharvest treatments retarded the loss of fruit firmness, lessened electrolyte leakage of fruits andwere more effective on keeping the physical and chemical quality properties relative to the controltreatment. Finally, this study emphasized that the addition of chitosan to antioxidant acids was moreeffective than the sole applications of each component on mitigating the incidence of decay, retardingthe loss of firmness, reducing weight loss and electrolyte leakage beside keeping other physical andchemical characteristics, thus prolonging the storage and post- storage shelf life of “Anna” apples,especially the combination included chitosan and salicylic acid. Therefore, this strategy is easy toapply, new, cheap and safe that can ensure increases of “Anna” apple fruits marketability and thegrowers income.