Effect of Chitosan Coating on the Postharvest Quality and Antioxidant Enzyme System Response of Strawberry Fruit during Cold Storage

Abstract

The effectiveness of chitosan fruit coating to delay the qualitative and nutraceutical traits of three strawberry cultivars, namely “Candonga”, “Jonica” and “Sabrina”, as well as the effects of chitosan on antioxidant enzymes were evaluated. The fruits were coated with 1% and 2% chitosan solution and stored at 2 °C for nine days. Samples were taken every three days. Physico-chemical (weight loss, soluble solid content and titratable acidity) and nutraceutical (total polyphenol, anthocyanin, flavonoid, ascorbic acid content and antioxidant capacity) properties along with the enzymatic activity (catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and lipoxygenase (LOX)) were evaluated. Chitosan treatment significantly reduced water loss and delayed the qualitative changes in color, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid content in dose- and cultivar-dependent manners. Additionally, changes in the total polyphenol, anthocyanin and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant capacity of chitosan-coated strawberry fruits were delayed. Chitosan coating enhanced the activity of some antioxidant enzymes, preventing flesh browning and reducing membrane damage. A global view of the responses of the three strawberry cultivars to chitosan coating and storage temperature was obtained using principal component analysis. Chitosan-coated fruit exhibited a slower rate of deterioration, compared to uncoated fruit in all tested cultivars.

Chitosan Coating: A Postharvest Treatment to Delay Oxidative Stress in Loquat Fruits during Cold Storage

“…These results are in agreement with our previous studies carried out on sweet cherry and strawberry cultivars [14,15].…”

“…Furthermore, the multivariate space of the first two PCs shows that the enzymatic activities were differently influenced by chitosan treatment during cold storage in loquat fruits. These results are in agreement with our previous studies carried out on sweet cherry and strawberry cultivars [14,15].…”

“…Our results confirmed the results of previous studies that demonstrated chitosan postharvest treatment preserves the cellular membrane structure integrity in different commodities [14,15].…”

“…A few studies have been conducted on the effects of chitosan coatings on the behaviour of the enzymatic antioxidant system in some fruit crops, such as sweet cherry and strawberry [13][14][15].…”

Effects of Polysaccharide-Based Edible Coatings on Quality and Antioxidant Enzyme System of Strawberry during Cold Storage

“…Edible coatings with semipermeable film can prolong postharvest fruit life through reducing moisture, respiration, gas exchange, and oxidative reaction rates [6]. The application of polysaccharide-based edible coatings enriched with antimicrobials or antioxidants has been proved to be efficacious in preserving fruit quality during storage [7,8].…”