Chitosan Coating to Preserve the Qualitative Traits and Improve Antioxidant System in Fresh Figs (Ficus carica L.)

Abstract

Chitosan-based coatings are used as a postharvest treatment to extend the shelf-life of several fruits. In this study, the effectiveness of chitosan-based coating to preserve the physico-chemical (weight loss, soluble solid content, and titratable acidity) and nutraceutical traits (total polyphenol, anthocyanin, flavonoid, ascorbic acid content, antioxidant capacity) in fresh fig “Troiano” has been evaluated. Furthermore, antioxidant enzyme activities, such as catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), were evaluated as well as the enzymes activities involved in fruit browning (polyphenol oxidase (PPO), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX)). Fruits were treated with 1% chitosan and 1% ascorbic acid coating, stored at 4 °C for nine days, and sampled every three days. Chitosan-based coating significantly reduced the weight loss and the qualitative changes, improving the total polyphenol, anthocyanin, and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant activity in stored figs. The higher activity of antioxidant enzymes allowed to reduce oxidative stress and prevent the browning reactions in chitosan-coated figs. The principal component analysis allowed to distinguish different behaviors among uncoated and chitosan-coated figs, indicating that the combined effects of chitosan-based treatment and storage time influenced the physico-chemical, nutraceutical and antioxidant system of figs during storage.