Chitosan based coating enriched with Spirulina platensis and moringa leaf extracts preserved the postharvest quality of Mexican Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)

Purpose: The limited shelf life of Mexican lime fruits when stored under ambient conditions is a significant challenge. The progressive color alteration and loss of freshness can lead to reduced marketability and increased its waste. Research Method: The objective of this research was to preserve the storage quality of Mexican lime fruit by employing chitosan ۱.۵%, chitosan ۱.۵% + spirulina algae (Sp) (۱%), and Moringa oleifera (Mo) leaf extracts (۱%) at ۲۰ ± ۲ °C and ۵۰-۶۰% relative humidity for ۲۴ days. Findings: The findings indicated that the samples coated with chitosan + Sp experienced a significantly lower weight loss compared to the control (۱۹.۸%) fruit after ۲۴ days of storage, with a weight loss of ۱۶.۴%. A significant difference was observed between the control and treated fruit in terms of a* color parameter, with the highest value found in the control group (۲.۵) and the lowest value found in the chitosan-treated group (-۶.۷). The treated fruit exhibited significantly higher levels of phenol and flavonoid content compared to the control group. After the ۲۴ days of storage, the chitosan ۱.۵% + Sp treatment displayed the highest antioxidant activity (۸۸.۶۶%), followed closely by the chitosan + Mo treatment (۸۸.۷۶%), while the control group exhibited the lowest antioxidant activity (۷۸.۷۵%). The treatments exhibited a significant decrease in polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme activity compared to the control group, accompanied by an increase in the activity of peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes. Research limitations: There was no limitation. Originality/value: Generally, the utilization of chitosan edible coatings, specifically chitosan combined with spirulina algae, has shown promising results in preserving the quality and extending the shelf life of Mexican lime fruit stored at ۲۰ ± ۲ °C.

Keywords:

Antioxidant , color , Enzyme , Phenolic compound