Evaluation of Proline-Coated Chitosan Nanoparticles on Decay Control and Quality Preservation of Strawberry Fruit (cv. Camarosa) during Cold Storage

Abstract

Edible coatings are an appropriate way to preserve the quality of horticultural crops and reduce post-harvest losses. In this study, treatments with proline (Pro), chitosan (CTS) and proline-coated chitosan nanoparticles (CTS-Pro NPs) to maintain quality and reduce the decay of strawberry fruit were examined during storage at 4 °C for 12 days. The strawberries were treated with Pro 1 and 5 mM, CTS at 0.1% (w/v), CTS-Pro NPs at 0.1% (w/v) and distilled water (control) at 20 °C for 5 min. Following 3, 6, 9 and 12 days of cold storage, the fruits were removed from refrigeration, and some traits were evaluated one day after storage under shelf-life conditions. The results indicated that the fruit coated with CTS and CTS-Pro NPs showed reduced malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide content and less decay and weight loss compared to control and proline. CTS-Pro NPs also preserved fruit quality by conserving higher levels of ascorbic acid, total soluble solids, total phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity and enzymes. These results confirmed the benefit of using chitosan and CTS-Pro NP coatings to maintain fruit quality and increase the shelf life of strawberries by enhancing their antioxidant system and their ability to eliminate free radicals under cold storage.