Laser irradiation and pomegranate peel extract as novel trends to preserve the strawberry quality characteristics

Abstract

Abstract The present study aimed to explore the influence of laser irradiation and coating with chitosan and pomegranate peel extract on the physico-chemical, weight loss, firmness, functional, microbiological, color, and sensory characteristics of strawberry fruits during fifteen days of cold storage. Four treatments of strawberry were treated with laser irradiation for 6 min. The second, third, or fourth group was coated with chitosan, pomegranate peel extract (PPE), or mixture of chitosan and PPE at ratio 1:1. Compared to untreated strawberries, the exposure to laser radiation decreased the weight loss of strawberries by 43.44%. Also, the laser irradiation reduced the negative effect of storage on the total phenolic content, anthocyanin, ascorbic acid, and antioxidant ability of strawberry. The exposure of strawberry to laser reduced the counts of fungi and psychrotrophic bacteria and exhibited the positive effect on the color and sensory attributes. The coating with PPE and chitosan enhanced the positive effect of laser irradiation on the functional and quality properties of strawberry during cold storage. Hence, it can be concluded that laser irradiation and coating with PPE may be applied as novel techniques for the preservation of strawberry properties during storage period.