Open AccessMaintaining antioxidants in tomato fruit using chitosan and vanillin coating during ambient storage
Author(s) -
Zahir Shah Safari,
Phebe Ding,
Abdullah As Sabir,
Amal A. Atif,
A. Yaqubi,
Siti Fairus Mohd Yusoff
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
food research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.218
H-Index - 7
ISSN - 2550-2166
DOI - 10.26656/fr.2017.5(5).075
Subject(s) - vanillin , chitosan , postharvest , antioxidant , shelf life , food science , chemistry , botany , biochemistry , biology
A high intake of antioxidants in a daily diet could reduce the risk of several diseases,including certain cancers and heart disease. Tomato is one of the rich sources ofantioxidant compounds. However, it has a relatively short postharvest life due to severalfactors such as postharvest diseases, accelerated ripening and senescence that hasten thelosses in quantity and quality. Chitosan and vanillin could be an alternative to diseasecontrol, maintain the quality and prolong the shelf life of fruit. This research aimed toevaluate the potential of chitosan and vanillin coating on tomato antioxidant propertiesduring storage at 26±2°C and 60±5% relative humidity. Chitosan and vanillin in aqueoussolutions of 0.5% chitosan + 10 mM vanillin, 1% chitosan + 10 mM vanillin, 1.5%chitosan + 10 mM vanillin, 0.5% chitosan + 15 mM vanillin 1% chitosan + 15 mMvanillin and 1.5% chitosan + 15 mM vanillin, respectively, were used as edible coating ontomato fruit. The analysis was evaluated at a 5-day interval. The results revealed that 1.5%chitosan + 15 mM vanillin have significantly retained tomato's antioxidant properties andprolonged shelf life up to 25 days without any adverse effects on fruit quality. Thus,combining 1.5% chitosan and 15 mM vanillin is highly recommended as a tomato coatingto maintain their quality, particularly in the absence of a refrigeration facility duringmarketing.