Abstract

BELLO-LARA, Juan Esteban et al. Coatings based on starch and pectin from ‘Pear’ banana (Musa ABB), and chitosan applied to postharvest ‘Ataulfo’ mango fruit. Rev. Chapingo Ser.Hortic [online]. 2016, vol.22, n.3, pp.209-218. ISSN 2007-4034.  https://doi.org/10.5154/r.rchsh.2015.09.037.

The development of new postharvest technologies, which prolong useful fruit life and are also biodegradable, has promoted the use of edible coatings, prepared based on polysaccharides obtained from nonconventional sources, such as the starch and pectin in banana fruits. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of coatings based on starch and pectin from ‘Pear’ banana, as well as chitosan applied to ‘Ataulfo’ mango fruit. Coverings with 1 % starch and others with 1 % pectin were applied by immersion to mango fruits at physiological maturity; fruits were then stored for 12 days at 10 ± 2°C, plus another 9 days at 22 ± 2°C. The assessed variables were: weight loss (%), color (L*, a*, b*), firmness (kgf∙cm-2), total soluble solids (°Brix), and titratable acidity (%). ‘Ataulfo’ mango fruits covered with starch from ‘Pear’ banana (Musa ABB) showed greater firmness (3.34 kgf∙cm-2) and a high content of total soluble solids (16.96 °Brix), compared to the control fruits (2.26 kgf∙cm-2 and 15.8 °Brix, respectively); this coating extended the postharvest period to 21 days. The edible coatings did not affect the cuticle color of ‘Ataulfo’ mango fruits and retained their typical yellow color.

Keywords : polysaccharides; tropical fruits; biofilms; postharvest.

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