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NISCAIR ONLINE PERIODICALS REPOSITORY (NOPR) >
NISCAIR PUBLICATIONS >
Research Journals >
Indian Journal of Biotechnology (IJBT) >
IJBT Vol.10 [2011] >
IJBT Vol.10(1) [January 2011] >
| Title: | Enhancement of storage life and quality maintenance of papaya fruits using Aloe vera based antimicrobial coating |
| Authors: | Marpudi, Sai Lakshmi
Abirami, L S S
R, Pushkala
Srividya, N |
| Keywords: | Carica papaya
edible coating
Aloe gel
chitosan
papaya leaf
post-harvest shelf life |
| Issue Date: | Jan-2011 |
| Publisher: | NISCAIR-CSIR, India |
| Abstract: | Papaya is one
of the main tropical fruits of India. The desiccation of fruits and perishable
nature of papaya is a major drawback during transportation to distant markets
and storage during glut in the market. Aloe
vera gel, mainly composed of polysaccharides, has been recently explored as
an edible coating owing to its antifungal activity. To improve the performance
of edible coatings, various substances/chemical additives have been
incorporated. Papaya leaf is a potential antifungal agent that could be used as
a bio-based additive, especially, by papaya growing farmers. The present study
was carried out to evaluate the ability of Aloe
gel based antimicrobial coatings to reduce/control the loss of post harvest
fruit quality in papaya and to compare the effects with a natural
polysaccharide-chitosan, an established coating material with antifungal
activity. Freshly harvested papaya fruits were coated with Aloe gel/AG (50%), papaya leaf extract/PLE incorporated Aloe gel (1:1) and 2.5% chitosan. The
coated and uncoated (control) fruits were stored at 30±3°C and 42-55% RH for 15 d. Physical (PLW, fruit size), chemical (pH, titrable acidity and TSS), and
sensory characteristics (colour, taste & firmness); fruit disease index
(FDI), and marketability were analyzed at regular intervals during the storage
period. The coated fruits survived the storage period of 15 d, whereas, all the
uncoated controls decayed within 10 d. The uncoated/control fruits exhibited
significantly greater changes in all the parameters tested. Among the coated
fruits, PLEAG treated fruits exhibited least changes followed by AG and
chitosan coated fruits. The coatings controlled the PLW, ripening process
(chemical changes, colour development and softening of fruit tissue) and decay
to a great extent and thereby extended the shelf life quality of the fruits.
Marketability was also found to be better for PLEAG coated fruits among the 3
coatings, followed by AG and chitosan coated fruits. The effectiveness of AG coating was found to improve on incorporation of
PLE. Shelf life could be further extended in low temperature storage. This is
probably the first study on utilizing a natural alternative such as Aloe-gel and PLE to extend shelf life
quality in papaya. On the basis of the over all physiological changes, Aloe gel based antimicrobial coating has
been identified as a suitable method to extend the shelf life of papaya fruits. |
| Page(s): | 83-89 |
| CC License: |  CC Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India |
| ISSN: | 0975-0967 (Online); 0972-5849 (Print) |
| Source: | IJBT Vol.10(1) [January 2011]
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