Effect of Mucilage-Based Edible Coating Enriched with Oregano Essential Oil on Postharvest Quality and Sensorial Attributes of Fresh-Cut Loquat
Source abstract
Abstract
Due to pulp browning, weight loss, firmness loss, and decay, loquat fruits, and even more minimally processed fruits have a very short post-harvest life. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage-based edible coating enriched with oregano oil on postharvest quality, microbial growth, and sensorial attributes of fresh-cut cv Martorana loquat fruit during cold storage. Fresh-cut loquat fruits were dipped in the mucilage-based solution enriched with oregano essential oil (MO-EC) and in distilled water used as control (CTR). According to our results, the mucilage-based edible coating enriched with oregano oil significantly improved the postharvest life of minimally processed loquat fruits by preserving quality, nutraceutical value, and sensory aspects. MO-EC had a barrier effect on fresh-cut loquat fruit, reducing weight and firmness losses, inhibiting TSS, TA, ascorbic acid content decrease, and enhancing the antioxidant activity until the end of the cold storage period (11 days at 5 °C). Microbiological analysis revealed that coated loquat fruits were characterized by a cell density of spoilage microorganisms 1 Log cycle lower than control fruits. The mucilage-based coating enriched with OEO positively affects the visual appearance of fresh-cut loquat fruits, at the end of the cold storage period, MO-EC samples did indeed report visual ratings that were five times greater than CTR samples. Our research suggests that applying mucilage-based coating enriched with OEO improves peeled loquat fruit shelf-life and allows the producers to sell products that are usually considered unmarketable (fruit with epicarp with large spot areas) to the market.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Botanical Research and Applications · Postharvest Quality and Shelf Life Management · Plant Physiology and Cultivation Studies
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Agricultural Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
References (43)
Show source-provided references
1. Adiletta, G., Pasquariello, M.S., Zampella, L., Mastrobuoni, F., Scortichini, M., and Petriccione, M. (2018). Chitosan Coating: A Postharvest Treatment to Delay Oxidative Stress in Loquat Fruits during Cold Storage. Agronomy, 8.10.3390/agronomy8040054 ↗
2. Liguori, G., Greco, G., Gaglio, R., Settanni, L., Inglese, P., and Allegra, A. (2022). Influence of Cactus Pear Mucilage-Based Edible Coating on Marketability and Edibility Parameters of Minimally Processed Loquat Fruits. Agronomy, 12.10.3390/agronomy12092120 ↗
3. Postharvest physiology and technology of loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) fruit10.1002/jsfa.6560 ↗
4. Effect of nano-SiO2 packing on postharvest quality and antioxidant capacity of loquat fruit under ambient temperature storage10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.126295 ↗
5. Methyl jasmonate reduces chilling injury and enhances antioxidant enzyme activity in postharvest loquat fruit10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.01.082 ↗
6. Fatty acid composition and antioxidant system in relation to susceptibility of loquat fruit to chilling injury10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.02.059 ↗
7. Fresh-Cut Vegetables Processing: Environmental Sustainability and Food Safety Issues in a Comprehensive Perspective10.3389/fsufs.2021.681459 ↗
8. Liguori, G., Gaglio, R., Greco, G., Gentile, C., Settanni, L., and Inglese, P. (2021). Effect of Opuntia ficus-indica Mucilage Edible Coating on Quality, Nutraceutical, and Sensorial Parameters of Minimally Processed Cactus Pear Fruits. Agronomy, 11.10.3390/agronomy11101963 ↗
9. Plant-based edible coatings for managing postharvest quality of fresh horticultural produce: A review10.1016/j.fpsl.2018.03.011 ↗
10. Effect of active coating containing radish leaf extract with or without vacuum packaging on the postharvest changes of sweet lemon during cold storage10.1111/jfpp.15252 ↗
11. Metabolic profiling and post-harvest behavior of “Dottato” Fig (Ficus carica L.) fruit covered with an edible coating from O. ficus-indica10.3389/fpls.2018.01321 ↗
12. Gheribi, R., and Khwaldia, K. (2019). Cactus Mucilage for Food Packaging Applications. Coatings, 9.10.3390/coatings9100655 ↗
13. Effect of Aloe gel and cactus mucilage coating on chemical quality and sensory attributes of mango (Mangifera indica L.)
14. Aloe vera and ascorbic acid coatings maintain postharvest quality and reduce microbial load of strawberry fruit10.1016/j.postharvbio.2015.11.019 ↗
15. Development of a cactus-mucilage edible coating (Opuntia ficus indica) and its application to extend strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) shelf-life10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.07.002 ↗
16. Extraction of polysaccharides from Opuntia cactus for its potential application in edible coating to improve the shelf life of citrus (Kinnow Mandarin) fruit10.15414/jmbfs.2018.8.1.745-750 ↗
17. Recent developments on postharvest application of edible coatings on stone fruit: A review10.1016/j.scienta.2019.109074 ↗
18. Pirozzi, A., Del Grosso, V., Ferrari, G., and Donsì, F. (2020). Edible Coatings Containing Oregano Essential Oil Nanoemulsion for Improving Postharvest Quality and Shelf Life of Tomatoes. Foods, 9.10.3390/foods9111605 ↗
19. Effect of Pectin Coating Enriched with Oregano Essential Oil on the Fresh-Cut Papaya Quality
20. Genotype influence on shelf life behaviour of minimal processed loquat (Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.) fruit: The role of sugar, acid organics and phenolic compounds10.1186/s40538-021-00282-z ↗
21. Ranganna, S. (1977). Manual of Analysis of Fruit and Vegetable Products, McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. Ltd.
22. Colorimetry of total polyphenols with phospho-molybdic phosphor tungstic acid reagents10.5344/ajev.1965.16.3.144 ↗
23. Determinations of total carotenoids and chlorophylls a and b of leaf extracts in different solvent10.1042/bst0110591 ↗
24. Ultraviolet-B- and ozone-induced biochemical changes in antioxidant enzymes of Arabidopsis thaliana10.1104/pp.110.1.125 ↗
25. Health Canada 2015 (2023, May 19). MFHPB-18 Determination of the Aerobic Colony Count in Foods. Available online: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/research-programs-analytical-methods/analytical-methods/compendium-methods/methods-microbiological-analysis-foods-compendium-analytical-methods.html.
26. Solís, L., Sánchez, E., García, S., and Heredia, N. (2009). Microbiologically Safe Foods, Wiley.
27. Passafiume, R., Gaglio, R., Sortino, G., and Farina, V. (2020). Effect of three different aloe vera gel-based edible coatings on the quality of fresh-cut “Hayward” kiwifruits. Foods, 9.10.3390/foods9070939 ↗
28. Changes in physiological and some nutritional, nutraceuticals, chemical–physical, microbiological and sensory quality of minimally processed cactus pears cvs ‘Bianca’, ‘Gialla’ and ‘Rossa’ stored under passive modified atmosphere10.1002/jsfa.8660 ↗
29. Calcium chloride extends the keeping quality of fig fruit (Ficus carica L.) during storage and shelf-life10.1016/j.postharvbio.2013.02.008 ↗
30. Incorporation of ascorbic acid in chitosan-based edible coating improves postharvest quality and storability of strawberry fruits10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.08.051 ↗
31. Effect of Opuntia ficus-indica Mucilage Edible Coating in Combination with Ascorbic Acid, on Strawberry Fruit Quality during Cold Storage10.1155/2021/9976052 ↗
32. The influence of Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage edible coating on the quality of ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit slices10.1016/j.postharvbio.2016.05.011 ↗
33. Effects of storage temperatures on physiology and quality of loquat fruit10.1016/S0925-5214(98)00053-2 ↗
34. Ascorbate and glutathione: Keeping active oxygen under control10.1146/annurev.arplant.49.1.249 ↗
35. Effect of nanopacking on preservation quality of Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujube Mill. var10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.09.085 ↗
36. Effect of different light transmittance paper bags on fruit quality and antioxidant capacity in loquat
37. Shah, H.M.S., Khan, A.S., Singh, Z., and Ayyub, S. (2023). Postharvest Biology and Technology of Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.). Foods, 12.10.3390/foods12061329 ↗
38. Multiplex PCR for simultaneous identification of E. coli O157: H7, Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes in food
39. Formulation of active packaging system using Artemisia scoparia for enhancing shelf life of fresh fruits10.1016/j.msec.2019.02.101 ↗
40. Evolution of shelf-life parameters of ready-to-eat escarole (Cichorium endivia var
41. Barth, M., Hankinson, T.R., Zhuang, H., and Breidt, F. (2009). Compendium of the Microbiological Spoilage of Foods and Beverages, Springer.10.1007/978-1-4419-0826-1_6 ↗
42. Opuntia ficus indica edible parts: A food and nutritional security perspective10.1080/87559129.2020.1756844 ↗
43. The antibacterial and antifungal activity of six essential oils and their cyto/genotoxicity to human HEL 12469 cells10.1038/s41598-017-08673-9 ↗