Aloe vera gel coating delays softening and maintains quality of stored persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) Fruits

Effectiveness of aloe vera gel coating and paraffin wax-coated paperboard packaging on post-harvest quality of hog plum (Spondius mangifera L.)

In this research work, hog plum (Spondius mangifera L.) was treated with Aloe vera gel (AVG) coating and paraffin wax-coated box (PWB) packaging and stored at ambient condition (25 ± 3 °C and 80-85% relative humidity) for 12 d to evaluate their impact on postharvest quality and storability. The physicochemical properties, microbiological analysis, and decay evaluation were analyzed throughout the storage period. The AVG and PWB coating treatments both demonstrated a significant effect on the quality of fruits during storage. The results showed that fruits with AVG coating and PWB packaging exhibited lower decay rates, weight loss, color difference, total microbial population, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and higher fruit firmness and pH than uncoated (control) fruits. The AVG coating was the most effective treatment, followed by the PWB packaging treatment. Our findings show that the AVG coating and PWB packaging treatment can be a promising solution for preserving the quality of hog plums and also helps in increasing the lifetime of hog plums during storage.

Innovative Approach for Controlling Black Rot of Persimmon Fruits by Means of Nanobiotechnology from Nanochitosan and Rosmarinic Acid-Mediated Selenium Nanoparticles

The protection of persimmon fruits (Diospyros kaki L.) from postharvest fungal infestation with Alternaria alternata (A. alternate; black rot) is a major agricultural and economic demand worldwide. Edible coatings (ECs) based on biopolymers and phytocompounds were proposed to maintain fruit quality, especially with nanomaterials' applications. Chitosan nanoparticles (NCt), rosmarinic acid bio-mediated selenium nanoparticles (RA/SeNPs) and their composites were produced, characterized and evaluated as ECs for managing persimmon black rot. The constructed NCt, RA/SeNPs and NCt/RA/SeNPs composite had diminished particles' size diameters. The ECs solution of 1% NCt and NCt/RA/SeNPs composite led to a significant reduction of A. alternata radial growth in vitro, with 77.4 and 97.2%, respectively. The most powerful ECs formula contained 10 mg/mL from NCt/RA/SeNPs composite, which significantly reduced fungal growth than imazalil fungicide. The coating of persimmon with nanoparticles-based ECs resulted in a significant reduction of black rot disease severity and incidence in artificially infected fruits; the treatment with 1% of NCt/RA/SeNPs could completely (100%) hinder disease incidence and severity in coated fruits, whereas imazalil reduced them by 88.6 and 73.4%, respectively. The firmness of fruits is greatly augmented after ECs treatments, particularly with formulated coatings with 1% NCt/RA/SeNPs composite, which maintain fruits firmness by 85.7%. The produced ECs in the current study, based on NCt/RA/SeNPs composite, are greatly recommended as innovatively constructed human-friendly matrix to suppress the postharvest destructive fungi (A. alternata) and maintain the shelf-life and quality of persimmon fruits.