Extending Papaya Freshness and Shelf Life with Organic Coating

Greg Howard
15th January, 2025

Extending Papaya Freshness and Shelf Life with Organic Coating

Papaya (Carica papaya)

Photo adapted from: Adrianh M. Orozco / CC BY (Source)

Key Findings

  • The study by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University evaluated different coatings to preserve papayas stored at 25°C and 85-90% humidity
  • Chitosan and clybio-treated papayas maintained quality for up to 12 days, while aloe vera gel and seaweed extract-treated papayas lasted for 9 days, and uncoated papayas only for 6 days
  • Chitosan-coated papayas retained higher levels of reducing sugar, β-carotene, total flavonoids, total antioxidant activity, and potassium content up to 9 days
  • Clybio-coated papayas outperformed chitosan in retaining ascorbic acid, non-reducing sugar, magnesium content, and had lower disease incidence when stored for 12 days
Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is known for its rapid quality degradation and short shelf life due to physiological decay and microbial infection after harvest. A recent study conducted by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a new clybio formulation (0.2%) along with other coatings like chitosan (1%), aloe vera gel (50%), and seaweed extract (1%) on the post-harvest quality and disease incidence of papaya stored at 25 ± 1°C and 85-90% relative humidity[1]. The study found that chitosan and clybio-treated papayas maintained their quality for up to 12 days of storage (DAS), whereas aloe vera gel and seaweed extract-treated papayas lasted for 9 DAS, and uncoated (control) papayas only for 6 DAS. Specifically, chitosan-coated papayas retained higher levels of reducing sugar, β-carotene, total flavonoids, total antioxidant activity, and potassium content compared to those treated with aloe vera, seaweed, and clybio formulations before the onset of decay at 9 DAS. For instance, chitosan-treated papayas had 0.77%, 1.41%, and 3.85% more reducing sugar than those treated with aloe vera, seaweed, and clybio, respectively. Interestingly, while chitosan excelled in maintaining several quality parameters up to 9 DAS, clybio outperformed chitosan in certain aspects when the shelf life extended to 12 DAS. Clybio-coated papayas retained higher levels of ascorbic acid (6.21%), non-reducing sugar (13.48%), magnesium content (8.31%), and had a lower disease incidence (20%) compared to chitosan-treated ones. This suggests that clybio could be more effective in extending the shelf life of papayas beyond the period where chitosan is most effective. The findings of this study align with earlier research on the benefits of chitosan-based coatings for post-harvest preservation. For example, a study on fig fruits demonstrated that chitosan and its nanoparticle formulations significantly inhibited fungal growth and aflatoxin production while being acceptable to consumers[2]. Additionally, another study highlighted the enhanced water-resistance and oxygen barrier properties of chitosan-montmorillonite nanocomposites, which improved the post-harvest quality of bananas[3]. These studies collectively underscore the effectiveness of chitosan-based coatings in preserving fruit quality and extending shelf life. The new study also aligns with research on the use of multivariate statistical analysis to evaluate freshness in fresh-cut papayas, where physicochemical and flavor quality analyses were used to predict freshness[4]. The incorporation of such comprehensive quality assessments in the current study further supports the robustness of its findings. In conclusion, the study by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University demonstrates that both chitosan and clybio formulations are effective in preserving the post-harvest quality of papayas, with each offering distinct advantages at different stages of storage. These findings suggest that using these coatings can significantly extend the shelf life of papayas, making them more viable for commercial distribution and consumption.

FruitsAgricultureBiochem

References

Main Study

1) Fruit quality retention and shelf-life extension of papaya through organic coating.

Published 15th January, 2025

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e41293

Related Studies

2) Edible Chitosan/Propolis Coatings and Their Effect on Ripening, Development of Aspergillus flavus, and Sensory Quality in Fig Fruit, during Controlled Storage.

https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10010112

3) Effect of chitosan coatings supplemented with chitosan-montmorillonite nanocomposites on postharvest quality of 'Hom Thong' banana fruit.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.131731

4) A fresh-cut papaya freshness prediction model based on partial least squares regression and support vector machine regression.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30255


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