Abstract
The article shows the results of the research into marketability evaluation of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) fruits, treated with chitosan solution. To achieve this goal, fruits were treated with 0.5 % or 1 % chitosan solution, and stored at 5 °C for 21 days. To assess the shelf life of fruit, physical and chemical parameters were determined: mass loss, reduction of sugar, titrated acidity and ascorbic acid content. Treatment with chitosan solution significantly reduced the mass loss, content of sugar, acids, ascorbic acid and respiration rate. The treatment with chitosan solution extended the shelf life and improved the quality of sour cherry fruit.After 21-day storage of sour cherries, mass loss was 4.6 % with the product output accounting for 85.5 %. The obtained results are approved by physiological and chemical changes in the fruits during storage: respiration rate of fruits decreases, loss of sugar does not exceed 6.7 %, acids – 33 % and ascorbic acid – 18 %.It has been found that post-harvest treatment with 1 % chitosan solution has a positive influence on commercial quality of sour cherry fruits.
Highlights
Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) is one of the most appreciated fruit by consumers due to its excellent quality
Chitosan is more widely applied for post-harvest treatment of fruit before storage, including sweet cherry, strawberries, grapes (Romanazzi, 2010)
The obtained results are consistent with the data of Petriccione et al (2015) and Romanazzi et al (2013). It could be explained by the fact that the chitosan coating forms a semipermeable film on the surface of fruits and vegetables, slowing respiration rate, reducing weight loss, improving quality and prolonging storage
Summary
Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) is one of the most appreciated fruit by consumers due to its excellent quality. In 2001 chitosan was included in the list of secure compounds and foodstuffs in the USA This natural polymer is derived from chitin by deacetylation and can form a film on treated surfaces, slowing down respiration rate, reducing mass loss, improving quality and prolonging shelf life Besides other, acting as protective barriers, these films can be used as carriers of bioactive compounds with antioxidant or antibacterial properties (Genskowsky et al, 2015) It is used for pre-harvest treatment of grapes, strawberries, cherries and others (El Ghaouth et al, 1991; Romanazzi et al, 2006; Romanazzi et al, 2007; Hernandez-Munoz, 2008; Romanazzi, 2010). Taking into account a widespread use of chitosan for storing fruits, we set the goal to study its influence on storage duration and quality of sour cherries fruits
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