Efficacy of chitosan nanoparticles and wax coatings on maintaining post-harvest quality of “Murcott” mandarins
Nourah A. Al Zahrani, Mohamed Gad, Ahmed M. Fikry, Ahmed Ezzat Ahmed, Khaled A. El‐Tarabily, Hend A. Elakkad, Ibrahim Eid Elesawi
Abstract
Because of its high degree of biodegradability, chitosan is widely used as a component in food packaging. However, its poor physical properties, such as permeability, limit its applicability. Consequently, applying nano chitosan is regarded as the most effective solution to this issue. In the current study, we studied the effect of using different materials in the coating process on the quality of “Murcott” tangerines during cold storage and shelf life. We used different concentrations of nano chitosan (50 and 100 ppm) and wax and mixed them (100 ppm nano chitosan plus wax). We investigated the impact of these compounds on the chemical composition and quality of fruits. The most successful treatment for preventing weight loss from discarded fresh fruit was a combination of wax and 100 ppm nano chitosan. This combination also prevented the deterioration of vitamin C, maintained the fruit pulp, and preserved the fruit's superior taste during cold storage and shelf life. It also maintains a better TSS and TA level than other treatments. In addition, the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the total number of antioxidants indicates no degradation of plant tissues compared to those not coated with nano chitosan. It also reduces the microbial load on the coated fruits. Consequently, this coating combination could suggest prolonging post-harvest life and increasing mandarin fruits' marketing period.