Development of antifungal edible coating for strawberry using fruit waste

Effect of combining UV-C irradiation and vacuum sealing on the shelf life of fresh strawberries and tomatoes

This research presents the effect of combining UV-C irradiation and vacuum sealing on the shelf life of strawberries and quartered tomatoes and compares it with the effect of the sole use of UV-C irradiation or vacuum sealing. A constant UV-C dose of 360 J/m² was used for the samples' irradiation, and all the vacuum-sealed samples were stored at a reduced pressure of 40 kPa. Organoleptic analysis, microbial population quantification of yeast and mold, Pseudomonas sp., weight loss, and pH measurements were obtained to identify the spoilage occurrence, monitor the samples' quality, and quantify the shelf life. Sensory evaluation was conducted by 12 consumer panelists to evaluate the aroma, taste, color, texture, and the overall acceptance of the samples. The results revealed that the combination of UV-C irradiation and vacuum sealing prolongs the shelf life of perishables more than the sole use of UV-C irradiation or vacuum sealing. The achieved shelf-life increase using this combination was 124.41% and 54.41% for strawberries and quartered tomatoes, respectively, while acceptable sensory characteristics were maintained throughout the storage period. Hence, this food preservation method can be further improved and integrated in the daily life of modern consumers and the operations of fresh produce retailers, as it could effectively reduce the spoilage rates of fresh produce and help achieve the UN SDG 12.3, which aims to reduce food loss and waste by 50% by 2030 at the consumer and retail levels. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The system can be further developed and introduced to the market as a kitchen appliance for households or as a predistribution step for fresh produce distribution centers. The shelf-life extension capability of this system, which does not involve any use of chemical substances, would make it an attractive solution for households and food retailers.

Post-Harvest Problems of Strawberry and Their Solutions

Strawberry is a fruit with a short season of harvest. Strawberry is well-known among people all over the world for its distinct flavour, nutritional value, and delicacy. While on the other hand, preserving strawberry and shelf life extension has been a huge difficulty due to their perishable nature. Making effective and sustainable use of already available food processing and preservation technology needs time. Researchers must use advanced techniques like a cool store, modified atmospheric packaging (MAP), cool store, controlled atmospheric storage (CA), various packaging methods, and a variety of chemical and physical treatments to retain commodities for a longer period due to strategic market sales following harvest. Except for the preserving techniques, there is some polysaccharide-based edible coating which has a crucial role in delaying fruit softening, fruit decay, maintaining the increased levels of ascorbic acid and phenols, enhancing the activities of antioxidant enzymes, and reducing membrane damage. During the postharvest stages, there are numerous threats to keep in view regarding the safety and quality of strawberries. In this chapter, we will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of some of the various preservation technologies, as well as how they might be utilised to preserve and a prolonged period of freshly harvested strawberries.