Assessing gaseous ozone and edible coatings as postharvest treatments for mango (mangifera indica L.) fruit.

Abstract

This research examines the potential of gaseous ozone and edible coatings in preserving postharvest quality and extending the shelf-life of ‘Keitt’ mango fruit. A critical review of the literature focused on the recent postharvest technologies used to preserve the quality of mango fruit. The prospects of using non-chemical postharvest treatments such as gaseous ozone and edible coatings were also reviewed. A screening study was conducted to determine the optimum ozone (O3) application time for effectively maintaining fruit quality and extending shelf-life. Mango fruit were intermittently exposed to gaseous ozone for twelve, twenty-four, thirty-six, or forty-eight hours, and the control fruit were untreated. Fruit were stored at 10℃ for twenty-one days and seven days shelf-life at ambient temperature. The findings showed that the O3 treatment should be applied at the pre-climacteric stage to achieve optimum results. Ozone treatment for 24 or 36 hours effectively maintained firmness and carotenoids content, delayed color changes, decay incidence, and mass loss. Therefore, an ozone exposure time of 24 and 36 hours was adopted for the study. These exposure times were incorporated into edible coatings (moringa leaf extract and carboxymethyl cellulose) for further investigation. The study on the effect of gaseous O3 incorporated with edible coatings on sensory attributes and physicochemical parameters showed that EC and EC + O3 (36 h) were more effective in delaying the ripening process and maintaining the postharvest quality. Overall, consumers preferred the fruit coated with EC due to its attractive color, smell, and sweetness. The study on the postharvest effect of gaseous O3 and EC on antioxidants and the biochemical properties of mango fruit is discussed in Chapter Five. The findings of this study demonstrated that the treatment combination of EC and gaseous O3 (36 h) effectively maintained antioxidants, membrane integrity and enhanced the quality of mango fruit during storage. The effect of gaseous O3 and EC on postharvest diseases of mango fruit, specifically Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (anthracnose) and Lasiodiplodia theobromae (stem-end rot), was also investigated. This study revealed that EC + O3 (24 h) effectively controlled stem-end rot and anthracnose in mango fruit. The treatment combination of EC and O3 (36 h) reduced the mycelial growth and disease incidence of Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. The study of EC and O3 in the volatile compounds of mango fruit is discussed in Chapter Seven. The fruit treated with EC had a high content of volatile compounds compared to other treatments. The treatment combination of EC + O3 (24 h) was not effective in maintaining the volatile compounds of mango fruit during storage. The findings of the current study suggest that EC + O3 (36 h) can be used as postharvest treatment of mango fruit. Additional research is required to gain more insights in understanding the EC+ O3 mode of action in maintaining volatile compounds and controlling mango postharvest diseases.