Wael Osman

202001316

Assignment 1

Saturday October 2 2022

Part 1:

Postharvest quality response of strawberries with aloe vera coating during refrigerated
storage

Strawberries have a very short postharvest life (less than 1 week) even under optimal
conditions due to their high perishability and susceptibility to pathogens. Current postharvest
tools which expose strawberries to high CO2 levels and synthetic fungicides affect flavour
and raise consumers’ concerns. Thus, there is a need to explore active natural biomaterials,
such as aloe vera, as a safer and effective alternative to fungicides. The purpose of this study
was to determine the efficiency of the novel aloe vera coating compared to different
concentrations of the well-studied chitosan coating in retaining the postharvest qualities of
strawberries. Harvested strawberries were randomly sorted into five groups and subjected to
the following different treatments: tap water (control, uncoated), chitosan solutions
(1%,1.5%,2%), and100% AV (aloe vera) gel. The strawberries were placed in polypropylene
boxes and placed in a refrigerator for 15 days under controlled temperature and relative
humidity (6 ± 1°C and 50 ± 5% RH). Observations pertaining to respiration rate, firmness,
weight loss, fruit color, pH, and microbial decay were recorded periodically every 3 days
from the day of harvest till day 15 of storage. The results elucidated that AV coated
strawberries had the lowest respiration rate (fig.1), along with retaining their moisture,
firmness (fig.2), external color (fig.3), and sensory qualities (taste, texture, acceptability) for
more days compared to uncoated or chitosan coated strawberries. Moreover, in AV gel
coasted strawberries the appearance of fungal decay commenced on day 15, while chitosan
coated (1.5% and 2%) strawberries experienced fungal decay on the 9th days of storage
(fig.4). Thus, AV gel should be utilized in strawberry post-harvest not only because it
preserves the postharvest quality of the fruit more than their untreated or chitosan treated
counterparts, but also provides a sustainable and edible coating which satisfies the market
demand with no apparent drawbacks.
Article Link:

https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy.aub.edu.lb/doi/full/10.1080/14620316.2017.1324326

Appendix:

Figure 1: Graph showing the variation in respiration rate of uncoated, chitosan coated
(1%,1.5%,2%), and AV coated strawberries throughout the 15-day storage period at 6 ± 1°C
and 50 ± 5% RH.

Figure 2: Graph showing the variation in the firmness uncoated, chitosan coated
(1%,1.5%,2%), and AV coated strawberries throughout the 15-day storage period at 6 ± 1°C
and 50 ± 5% RH.
Figure 3: Graph showing the variation in the external colour evolution: (a) lightness (L*) and
(b) chroma (c) of uncoated, chitosan coated (1%,1.5%,2%), and AV coated strawberries
throughout the 15-day storage period at 6 ± 1°C and 50 ± 5% RH

Figure 4: Bar Graph showing the effect of uncoated, chitosan coated (1%,1.5%,2%), and AV
coated strawberries on microbial decay (%) throughout the 15-day storage period at 6 ± 1°C
and 50 ± 5% RH
Part 2:

Tomatoes invade my breakfast, lunch, and dinner tables whether in the raw or cooked form.
Tomato is a climacteric fruit, that is it has a short shelf-life even under ideal preservation
conditions. While tomatoes remain relatively stable as long as they are not subjected to a
microbial attack or eaten by its predators, upon disconnecting the fruit from its natural
nutrient supply, its quality reduction occurs relatively quickly due to perturbing its natural
biological cycle upon harvest (Ochida et al ,2). Thus, an array of postharvest preservation
methods are employed to ensure fruit shelf-life longevity. These include:

 Storage at low temperature: This reduces the metabolism rate (respiration, transpiration,
ethylene production, and thermal decomposition). However, caution should be taken as
storage at relatively cold temperatures can cause chilling injury in tomatoes such as
storing tomatoes at 10°C for more than 14 days, or at 5°C for more than 7 days (Ochida et
al ,3)
 Evaporative cooling: Loss of moisture from tomatoes leads to shrivelling of the fruit, and
thus weight loss. By employing evaporative cooling, which uses thermal energy in the air
to convert liquid water into vapor, this results in a lower air temperature and high
humidity needed to prolong the shelf life of tomatoes.
 Avoiding exposure to ethylene: Removing ethylene from the storage area by using
ethylene absorbent (indigenous or commercial forms) ensures uniform ripening and a
 longer shelf life. Potassium permanganate ethylene absorbs the exogenous ethylene from
air and oxidizes it into carbon dioxide and water. With surging carbon dioxide
concentration, the production of endogenous ethylene is halted and thus the ripening
process is controlled. It is also indispensable to store tomatoes separately from ethylene-
producing crops.
 Ethylene action inhibition by 1-MCP: Blocks the ethylene binding site leading to the
attenuation or inhibition of ethylene effects, thus slowing down fruit ripening.

References:

file:///C:/Users/Wael/Downloads/25999-Article%20Text-48774-2-10-20190221.pdf

Dr. Kayal’s presentation on Moodle