Effect of Chitosan Coating on the Post Harvest Quality of Banana during Storage
Shaik Mohammed Zahoorullah
Department of Biotechnology, Joginpally B. R. Engineering College, Yenkapally, Moinabad Mandal, R. R. District, Hyderabad-500075, Telangana State, India
Lomada Dakshayani
Department of Genetics and Genomics, Yogi Vemana Univeristy, Kadapa – 516 003, Andhra Pradesh, India
A. Swaroopa Rani
Department of Biotechnology, JNTUA College of Engineering, Pulivendula-516390, Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh, India
G. Venkateswerlu *
Department of Biochemistry, Osmania University, Hyderabad-500007, Telangana State, India
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Chitosan-based coating was concerned in recent years owing to its non-toxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of Chitosan coatings that were applied by double immersion of fruits in the film-forming solutions for 5 min, depending on treatments: (i) Chitosan at 1.5% (w/v) in lactic acid 1% (v/v); (ii) Chitosan at 1.5% (w/v) in lactic acid 1% (v/v) and Tween 80 at 0.1% (w/v); and (iii) Chitosan at 1.5%(w/v) in acetic acid 1% (v/v). (iv) uncoated. The effectiveness of the treatments in extending fruit shelf-life was evaluated by determining ripening stages, weight loss, firmness, pH, total sugars, reducing sugars, non- reducing sugars.
The results have proved that the addition of Lactic acid at 1% (w/v based on chitosan) and Tween 80 at 0.1% (v/v) in chitosan solution improved coating properties delaying the ripening stage with lowest weight loss (4.5%), lowest firmness (38%), with no change in pH (4.8-4.9), high total sugars (95%), high reducing sugars (46%) and low non-reducing sugars (45%) in banana.
Keywords: Banana, chitosan, food, fruits, lactic acid, shelf life, vegetable