Investigation of Melatonin Incorporated CMC-Gelatin Based Edible Coating on the Alleviation of Chilling Injury Induced Pericarp Browning in Longkong

Abstract

Longkong (Aglaia dookkoo Griff.) fruit is prone to rapid pericarp browning and shortened shelf life (<7 days) under prolonged low-temperature storage. This study investigates the effect of an edible coating, comprising carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and gelatin in a fixed 3:1 ratio, integrated with various concentrations of melatonin (MT) (0.4, 0.8, and 1.2 mM/L) to mitigate chilling injury in longkong fruit. Coated longkong fruits were stored at 13 °C with 90% relative humidity for 18 days and underwent physicochemical evaluations every three days. Samples coated with CMC-Gel without MT and uncoated fruits were served as controls. The findings indicated that the CMC-Gel-MT coating significantly mitigated pericarp browning, chilling injury, weight loss, and respiration rate increase under extended cold storage conditions. High concentrations of MT (≥0.8 mM/L) in the coating notably inhibited the activities of cellular degrading enzymes such as lipoxygenase and phospholipase D. This inhibition contributed to reduced membrane permeability, lower reactive oxygen species accumulation (H2O2, OH−, O2−), and decreased malondialdehyde levels in the longkong pericarp. Furthermore, the CMC-Gel-MT coating increased the activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, leading to an enhancement in phenolic content. Consequently, it improved the fruit’s ability to scavenge DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,20-azino-di-3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid) radicals. Control samples exhibited high levels of pericarp browning-related enzymes (polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase), whereas CMC-Gel-MT-coated fruits, particularly at higher MT concentrations, showed significant reductions in those enzyme activities. In conclusion, incorporating high concentrations of MT in a CMC-Gel-based edible coating is a promising alternative for mitigating chilling injury in longkong fruit.