This work evaluated the efficacies of different coatings: chitosan, gelatin and chitosan-gelatin applied layer-by-layer (LbL); for maintaining the quality of sweet peppers that were stored for 3 weeks at a sub-optimal temperature (1.5 °C) and at an optimal storage temperature (7 °C). After the cold-storage period, fruits were kept under marketing conditions (21 °C) for 3 more days. An edible chitosan coating (2%) effectively alleviated chilling injury and the incidence of decay, and also preserved the nutritional quality of sweet peppers that were kept for 3 weeks at 1.5 °C plus 3 more days at 21 °C. The chitosan coating was more effective than the two other coatings. All three coating treatments significantly reduced external CO2 production, as compared to uncoated control fruit. Storage temperatures did not significantly affect external CO2 production, although CO2 production was slightly higher at 1.5 °C. The chitosan coating exhibited good CO2 gas permeability properties and the peppers coated with that material had lower respiration rates than those in the other two experimental treatments or the control. From a practical point of view, chitosan coating could replace the plastic bags previously found to alleviate chilling injury in peppers that are stored at 1.5 °C as a quarantine treatment.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.