Effect of edible coating and perforated packaging on the quality and storability of mango (cv. Cat Chu) at suboptimal storage temperature

Abstract: Mango fruit (Mangifera indica cv.Cat Chu) is generally susceptible to chilling injury (CI), and postharvest deterioration induces limits in its commercial potential. This study aimed to find the effects of edible coating and perforated packaging on the quality and storability of mango fruit stored at a suboptimal temperature of 8 ^oC for 35 days and ripening for five days at 20 ^oC of each seven days of storage. The edible coatings (chitosan (0.5 %) combined with lemongrass essential oil (0.025 %) (chitosan) and carnauba wax (0.5 %) (carnauba)), perforated packaging (Low-density polyethylene (25 µM) needle-perforated ten holes (0.5 mm diameter) (LDPE); LDPE perforated eight holes (0.4 cm diameter) (control)), and combination between the coating and perforated packaging (Chitosan and LDPE (needle-perforated) (Chi-LDPE); carnauba wax and LDPE (needle-perforated) (Car-LDPE)) investigated in this study. The results showed mango cv. Cat Chu in needle-perforated packaging and combination with coating had the lowest weight loss, followed by control, chitosan, and carnauba wax with the highest weight loss. The CI symptom was white-corky in the pulp of ripened mango, which appeared in all treatments except chitosan coating for 35 days at 8 ^oC and ripening fruit at 20 ^oC. The chitosan coating inhibited the respiration rate and electrolyte leakage and decreased the disease index in mango fruit during storage. The quality of ripening mango fruit was highly maintained during the extended duration of cold storage. This result revealed that the chitosan coating improved chilling tolerance and prolonged the shelf life of mango at the suboptimal temperature of 8 ^oC for 35 days. This application might be a green means of fruit preservation, but further enhancement of disease control is needed.