Aloe vera based edible film coating for shelf life extension in tomato (solanum iycopersicum)
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Date
2018
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Department of Post Harvest Technology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani
Abstract
The present investigation on “Aloe vera based edible film coating for shelf
life extension in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)” was carried out at the Department
of Post Harvest Technology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during the period of
2014-2017, with the objective to standardise an Aloe vera gel based edible film
coating for tomato fruits to withstand storage and transportation losses and thereby
formulate a viable and efficient post harvest management practice for extending shelf
life of tomato.
A preliminary trial was conducted for standardization of Aloe vera gel based
edible film using four different gelling agents (INS 401, 402, 440 and 508), seven
concentrations (1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 25 and 35%) and five durations (1, 2, 5,10 and 15
minutes) for extending shelf life of tomatoes. Based on the physiological loss in
weight and shelf life obtained, 12 superior treatment combinations including INS 401
and 402 at 1 and 2% concentrations dipped for 1, 2 and 5 minutes were selected for
further study of the experiment.
Further experiments were carried out as four different steps using tomato
variety Akshaya, harvested independently at two different maturity stages viz.,
mature green and firm ripe which were meant for distant and local market
transportation respectively.
Evaluation of the selected 12 aloe gel based edible films on quality
parameters revealed the superiority of aloe gel based treatments over untreated fruits
harvested in both the maturity stages. Shelf life of aloe gel based edible film coated
mature green and firm ripe tomatoes were 36 and 24 days respectively.
On the 36th day of storage all the aloe gel based treatments were equally
effective in maintaining chemical and microbial quality parameters of the mature
green tomato fruits, but fruits dipped in 2% aloe gel + INS 402 for two minutes
recorded least PLW and percent leakage and hence had higher scores for sensory
parameters. Firm ripe fruits dipped in aloe gel +INS 402 (1%) for one minute had
superior physical and physiological parameters on 24th day of storage.
The possibility of increasing the efficiency of aloe gel based formulation by
incorporation of natural and cheap plant leaf extracts from papaya, guava and
ocimum in 1:1 and 1:2 ratios for shelf life extension in tomato was assessed.
Considering the economics and efficiency in maintaining better physiological quality
parameters, 2% papaya leaf incorporated aloe gel (1:2) + INS 402 for two minutes
was selected as the best plant leaf extract incorporated aloe gel (PLEAG) treatment
for mature green fruits and 1% papaya leaf incorporated aloe gel (1:2) + INS 402 for
one minute for firm ripe tomatoes.
Quality evaluation of edible coatings revealed better efficiency of papaya
leaf incorporated aloe gel (1:2) in reducing the activity of texture affecting enzymes
viz., pectin methyl esterase and polygalactouronase and increasing total pectin
content resulting in higher fruit firmness in both mature green and firm ripe tomatoes.
Even though no antimicrobial activity against Erwinia and Rhizopus was noticed
when tested under in vitro condition, the aloe based extracts had suppressed the post
harvest infection by these pathogens in vivo.
Efficiency of the selected papaya leaf incorporated aloe gel (1:2) in reducing
post harvest loss during storage and transportation was compared with that of a
commercial wax formulation independently for mature green and firm ripe tomato
fruits after packaging in 5% ventilated corrugated fiber board (CFB) boxes with and
without moulded tray.
When packaged fruits were stored under optimum low temperature (12-
200C for mature green and 10-150C for firm ripe) and ambient temperature (28-300),
low temperature storage was superior in maintaining the quality parameters for both
the maturity stages of tomato.
Packaging in 5% ventilated CFB boxes with moulded tray was effective in
maintaining the physical and physiological parameters of mature green tomato during
storage. Papaya leaf incorporated aloe gel (1:2) was equally effective as the
commercial bee wax formulation in maintaining the physiological, chemical, and
microbial parameters. Fruits coated with commercial bee wax had reduced lycopene
content and a non- uniform fruit colour development and hence recorded poor
sensory scores.
Though both the packaging systems were equally effective in maintaining
all the quality parameters during storage of firm ripe tomatoes, overall acceptability
was higher for fruits kept in 5 % ventilated CFB box with molded trays. Papaya leaf
incorporated aloe gel (1:2) was equally effective as the commercial wax formulation
for the stored firm ripe tomatoes too.
Studies to analyze the efficiency of aloe gel based coatings to withstand
transportation losses revealed the superiority of 5% ventilated CFB box with moulded
tray and effectiveness of papaya leaf extract incorporated aloe gel (1:2) in
maintaining all the quality parameters in fruits of both maturity stages. Cost of
production for coating the standardized papaya leaf incorporated aloe gel was Rs.
45.87/- for 100 Kg mature green tomatoes and Rs.23.65/- for 100 Kg firm ripe
tomatoes.
Based on the study, an efficient postharvest management practice for shelf
life extension in tomato fruits of both maturity stages could be formulated. Mature
green tomato fruits cv. Akshaya after washing and surface sanitization using 2ppm
ozonized water for five minutes followed by coating with papaya leaf incorporated
aloe gel (1:2) + INS 402, (2%) for two minutes, air drying and packaging in 5%
ventilated CFB boxes with moulded tray had a storage life of 60 days under optimum
low temperature (12-200C) or could be transported to distant markets without
transportation hazards.
Firm ripe tomato fruits cv. Akshaya could be stored for 36 days using the
same protocol except coating with papaya leaf incorporated aloe gel (1:2) + INS 402,
(1%) for one minute and storing at an optimum low temperature of 10-150C or could
be transported to local markets without any hazards.
Description
Ph.D
Keywords
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