Open Access

ARTICLE

Enhancing the Shelf Life of Edible Musa Acuminate with Biopolymer Coating

by Manivasagam Vishwa Rohini^1,#, Sathish Kiruba¹, Danniel Santhanaraj¹, Prakash Priyanka Nair¹, P. Sudhakara^2,*, Jujhar Singh³, Balamurugan Rathinam^4,*, Vanaraj Ramkumar^5,6,#

1 Department of Chemistry (Food Chemistry and Food Processing), Loyola College, Chennai, 600 034, India
2 Regional Centre, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Leather Complex, Jalandhar, 144 021, India
3 Mechanical Engineering Department, I. K. Gujral Punjab Technical University, Main Campus, Kapurthala, Punjab, 144 603, India
4 Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Douliu, 64002, Taiwan
5 Department of Computational Biology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 602 105, India
6 School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 38541, Republic of Korea

* Corresponding Authors: P. Sudhakara. Email: ; Balamurugan Rathinam. Email:
# Authors Manivasagam Vishwa Rohini and Vanaraj Ramkumar contributed equally

Journal of Polymer Materials 2024, 41(3), 159-178. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpm.2024.054801

Received 06 June 2024; Accepted 30 July 2024; Issue published 30 September 2024

Abstract

The Cavendish banana, Musa acuminata, is a climacteric fruit that ripens quickly after harvest. Due to their high perishability and susceptibility to disease, bananas have substantial postharvest losses. After harvesting, it is important to extend the bananas’ shelf life. Unique coating gel solutions based on glycerol and ascorbic acid were developed to accomplish this. Chitosan mixed with glacial acetic acid, lactic acid, and sodium alginate were among the gel solutions in these combinations. The goal was to improve banana preservation while maintaining freshness and quality by implementing innovative formulations and techniques. The fruits are hand-dried and then maintained at 25°C before being covered with dipping. Fruit coated with chitosan will preserve its freshness for up to 15 days, which is the optimum outcome. Comparing the physicochemical parameters of coated and untreated fruit demonstrates that gel-coated fruit retains physical and chemical qualities by decreasing respiration during storage. Improved Barrier Properties, Antimicrobial Action, Biodegradability, Edibility, and Maintained Fruit Quality: Customization of Formulations Complementary Preservation Techniques, and Simple Application are all supported by the impact of edible coatings. This invention reflects a change toward more sustainable and effective post-harvest treatments for climacteric fruits such as bananas, which provide economic benefits by minimizing waste and enhancing the quality of the fruit accessible to customers.

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Keywords

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