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Chitosan-limonene coating in combination with modified atmosphere packaging preserve postharvest quality of cucumber during storage

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Abstract

Since cucumbers suffer from a short postharvest life, applying different technologies is increasingly used as effective ways to increase their shelf life and quality. In this study a combination of chitosan-limonene coating and MAP storage has been used as a postharvest treatment to maintain cucumber quality. Samples were stored in three different packages: A (21% O2, macro-perforated package to be in equilibrium with air); package B (active MAP, starting concentrations 10% O2 + 5% CO2); package C (passive MAP starting concentrations 21% O2 + 0.1% CO2); they were stored at three temperatures (20, 10, and 4 °C). Quality parameters of cucumber such as weight loss, firmness, color, pH, fungal growth, Tg, organoleptic properties were determined. Interactive effects of coating, package, temperature, and storage time showed that coating and MAP in general had positive effects on several quality aspects. Coating combined with active MAP had the most positive effect on most postharvest attributes. However, using active MAP at higher temperature led to quality problems and is only useful if storage time is short. The combined usage of active MAP and chitosan-based coating on cucumber represents an innovative and interesting method for commercial application.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. We are thankful to Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and Wageningen University for providing facilities for this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Sciences and Technology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Azadi Square, Mashhad, Iran

    Gisoo Maleki, Naser Sedaghat & Mohebbat Mohebbi

  2. Wageningen University, Food & Biobased Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Gisoo Maleki & Ernst J. Woltering

  3. Wageningen University, Horticulture & Product Physiology, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Ernst J. Woltering

  4. Department of Food Sciences and Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mehdi Farhoodi

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  1. Gisoo Maleki
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  2. Naser Sedaghat
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Correspondence to Naser Sedaghat.

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Maleki, G., Sedaghat, N., Woltering, E.J. et al. Chitosan-limonene coating in combination with modified atmosphere packaging preserve postharvest quality of cucumber during storage. Food Measure 12, 1610–1621 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-018-9776-6

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