Effects of edible chitosan coating on quality and shelf life of sliced mango fruit

• Published in: Journal of food engineering Vol. 78; no. 1; pp. 225 - 229
• Main Authors: Chien, Po-Jung, Sheu, Fuu, Yang, Feng-Hsu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: ascorbic acid; Biological and medical sciences; chitosan; Chitosan coating; coatings; cold storage; color; drip loss; edible films; Food engineering; Food industries; food packaging; food storage; fresh-cut foods; Fruit and vegetable industries; fruit quality; fruits (food); Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Mangifera indica; Mango fruit; mangoes; microbial contamination; Minimally processed fruit; plate count; Quality; sensory evaluation; Shelf life; shrinkage; soluble solids; storage time; taste; titratable acidity; water content; Minimally processed fruit; Shelf life; Mango fruit; Quality; Chitosan coating; Fruit; Mangifera indica; Mango; Minimal processing; Edible coating; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Food preservation; Spermatophyta; Chitosan; Anacardiaceae
• ISSN: 0260-8774; 1873-5770
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2005.09.022

Mango pulp is very perishable and so has a short shelf life, which both marketers and consumers would like to be longer. Manually sliced mango was treated with aqueous solutions of 0%, 0.5%, 1% or 2% chitosan; placed into plastic trays, and over-wrapped with PVDC film and then stored at 6 °C. Changes in the sensory qualities of taste, color and water loss, were evaluated. A chitosan coating retarded water loss and the drop in sensory quality, increasing the soluble solid content, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid content. It also inhibited the growth of microorganisms. The data reveal that applying a chitosan coating effectively prolongs the quality attributes and extends the shelf life of sliced mango fruit.