Postharvest application of chitosan and Thymus essential oil increase quality of the table grape cv. ‘Shahroudi’

Purpose: Chitosan, a natural biopolymer with antifungal and eliciting properties is able to reduce postharvest decay of table grapes. Anti-fungal and anti-microbial effects of essential oils are the result of many compounds acting synergistically. In this study, the effectiveness of Thymus essential oil (TEO) and chitosan to control postharvest decay and quality of ‘Shahroudi’ table grape was investigated. Research Method: Grapes treated by 0.5% and 1% (w/v) solution of chitosan, 150 and 300 µl l-1 Thymus essential oil and their combination (untreated fruit were as control). At first chitosan solution prepared then Thymus essential oil was added it in combination solution. Harvested grapes were packed in 200g bags and stored at 0±2 ◦C and 90% ± 5 RH for 90 days. Findings: Differences in weight loss, color change, ripening, sensory quality and decay between grapes treated with chitosan and TEO and control fruit suggested that TEO and chitosan were both suitable coatings. Moreover, the sensory analyses revealed beneficial effects in terms of delaying rachis browning and dehydration and maintenance of the visual characteristics of the grape without detrimental effects on taste or flavors. Research limitations: It had no limitation to report. Originality/Value: TEO and chitosan might have good effects in reducing postharvest fungal rot and maintaining the quality of ‘Shahroudi’ table grapes which proved to be much more effective than TEO

Ethylene and Anti-Ethylene Treatment Effects on Cut "First Red" Rose

Studies were conducted to determine the effects of ethylene and anti-ethylene treatments on postharvest life of cut "First Red" rose flowers. Effects of exogenous ethylene at 1, 10 and 100 ul l-1 for 48 h at 22 C on cut "First Red" rose flowers were investigated. Ethylene at different concentrations reduced postharvest life, with 100 ul l-1 having the greatest effect. Ethylene production measurements suggested that "First Red" rose is climacteric during senescence. Pre-treatment of "First Red" rose flowers with 0.5 mM silver thiosulfate (STS) for 2 h at 22 C increased vase life, but pre-treatment with 1 ul l-1 1- methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) did not. Pre-treatment of "First Red" rose with 0.5 mM STS and, to a lesser extent, 1 ul l-1 1-MCP for 2 h at 22 C, protected flowers from subsequent exposure to 10 ul l-1 ethylene. Maximum vase life in both ethylene-treated and non-ethylene-treated "First Red" rose flowers was obtained with 0.5 mM STS

Effects of Thymus vulgaris Essential Oil on Decay Resistance and Quality of Iranian Table Grape

Because of greater consumer awareness and concern regarding synthetic chemical additives, foods preserved with natural additives have become popular. Medicinal plants have been used by human being since ages in traditional medicine due to their therapeutic potential and the search on medicinal plants have led the discovery of novel drug candidates used against diverse diseases. Therefore Thymus vulgaris essential oil was applied in Bidaneh Qermez grape cultivar at six concentrations (0, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 ?l/l) in water. Quality characteristics (pH, decay, vitamin C, reducing sugars, weight loss, berry abscission, dehydration of rachis, berry cracking and sensory analyses) were evaluated. The results showed that treated fruits with essential oil had lower decay percentage, dehydration of rachis, berry abscission, berry cracking and higher pH, reducing sugars and storage quality compared to control. As a general result, essential oil treatment caused lower decay incident and longer storability

Application of <i>Ocimum basilicum</i> Essential Oil as Vapor on Postharvest Storage of Plum Fruit cv. ‘Golden Drop’

Increased interest in theuse of natural compounds instead of chemicals is due to concerns about the effect of synthetic ingredients on humans’ health and over environment. Therefore, in this study essential oil from Ocimum basilicum as a natural and safe compound, was applied at three levels (100, 200 and 300 μl/l) as vapor and its effects on postharvest quality and storage life of ‘Golden Drop’ plums was evaluated. After application of treatments, the fruits were stored at +1 °C and 80-85% relative humidity for 42 days. During the storage period, samplings were carried out every week and to simulate market condition, they were kept at room temperate for 24 h. Then some of the qualitative and quantitative traits, such as total soluble solids (TSS), titrable acidity (TA), TSS/TA ratio, weight loss, firmness, ascorbic acid, total antioxidants, as well as color (L*,  hue angle) were measured. Results showed that the basil essential oil contributed to a better maintenance o

Application of <i>Ocimum basilicum</i> Essential Oil as Vapor on Postharvest Storage of Plum Fruit cv. ‘Golden Drop’

<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;letter-spacing:-.2pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'>Increased interest in theuse of natural compounds instead of chemicals is due to concerns about the effect of synthetic ingredients on humans’ health and over environment. Therefore, in this study essential oil from <i>Ocimum basilicum</i> as a natural and safe compound, was applied at three levels (100, 200 and 300 &#956;l/l) as vapor and its effects on postharvest quality and storage life of ‘Golden Drop’ plums was evaluated. After application of treatments, the fruits were stored at +1 °C and 80-85% relative humidity for 42 days. During the storage period, samplings were carried out every week and to simulate market condition, they were kept at room temperate for 24 h. Then some of the qualitative and quantitative traits, such as total soluble solids (</span><st1:stockticker><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;letter-spacing:-.2pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN; mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'>TSS</span></st1:stockticker><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;letter-spacing:-.2pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN;mso-bidi-language: AR-SA'>), titrable acidity (TA), </span><st1:stockticker><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun;letter-spacing:-.2pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN; mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'>TSS</span></st1:stockticker><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast font-family:SimSun;letter-spacing:-.2pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN;mso-bidi-language: AR-SA'>/TA ratio, weight loss, firmness, ascorbic acid, total antioxidants, as well as color (L*, ^{<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>}hue angle) were measured. Results showed that the basil essential oil contributed to a better maintenance of </span <st1:stockticker><span style='font-size:10.0pt font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;letter-spacing:-.2pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN;mso-bidi-language: AR-SA'>TSS</span></st1:stockticker><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;letter-spacing:-.2pt; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'>, TA, </span><st1:stockticker><span style='font-size:10.0pt font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;letter-spacing:-.2pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'>TSS</span></st1:stockticker><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;letter-spacing:-.2pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast language:ZH-CN; mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'>/TA ratio, firmness, ascorbic acid, antioxidant and delayed weight loss and color changes compared to control. However, the fruit treated with 300 µl/l concentration had essence flavor compared to control. Inconclusion, the use of basil essential oil is an effective tool on maintaining postharvest quality and storage life of plum fruits. </span

Influence of Modified Atmosphere Packagingon Storability and Postharvest Quality of Cornelian Cherry (<i>Cornus mas</i> L.) Fruits

Cornelian cherries were stored in two types of polymeric films (low density polyethylene and polypropylene) and three gas combinations 5%O₂ + 20%CO₂+ 75%N₂, 60%O₂ + 20%CO₂ + 20%N₂ and Air) at 1 °C and 90-95% relative humidity for 35 days. Unpackaged cornelian cherries were used as a control. Samples were taken initially and at intervals of 7-days during storage, when quality parameters were measured. </a>Results showed that modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) allowed the stored fruits to retain their weight and visual quality throughout the experiment, regardless of the gas combinations used, while by the end of the storage period the unpackaged fruit lost over 30% of their weight and consequently visual quality. Overall, packaging in 60%O₂ + 20%CO₂ polypropylene (PP) and air low density polyethylene (LDPE) could retard soluble solid contents, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, anthocyanin index decrease and pH increase during the storage time. Additionally, such packaging could lead to better surface color preservation than that of fruits kept in open containers. Furthermore, packaging in air low density polyethylene and 60%O₂ + 20%CO₂ low density polyethylene could delay total phenolics accumulation and increase peroxidase activity to levels higher than those in the control. During the maintenance period, no symptoms of decay were observed

Evaluation of the photocatalytic antimicrobial effects of a TiO 2 nanocomposite food packaging film by in vitro and in vivo tests

The ability to inactivate Pseudomonas spp. and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa by a photocatalyst thin film, obtained via a combination of anatase and rutile titanium dioxide incorporation into a low density polyethylene (LDPE) polymeric matrix by a melt blending method, was addressed in this study. The number of surviving cell of the Pseudomonas spp. was decreased by 4 log CFU/ml and 1.35 log CFU/ml after 3 h of UVA illumination on TiO2 nanocomposite thin film and LDPE thin film, respectively. The number of cells of R. mucilaginosa decreased by 2 log CFU/ml and 0.64 log CFU/ml on TiO2 nanocomposite thin film and LDPE thin film, respectively. In an in vivo test carried out on fresh pears packaged in TiO2 nanocomposite film and stored under illumination by a fluorescent light lamp at 5 °C for 17 days, the number of mesophilic bacteria and yeast cells decreased significantly compared to samples stored in LDPE film. The greatest effects were recorded by combining UVA illumination and active film. It was also proven that the photocatalyst thin film prepared by extrusion could be effectively used in fruit packaging applications

Influence of Modified Atmosphere Packaging&lt;sub&gt; &lt;/sub&gt;on Storability and Postharvest Quality of Cornelian Cherry (&lt;i&gt;Cornus mas&lt;/i&gt; L.) Fruits

Cornelian cherries were stored in two types of polymeric films (low density polyethylene and polypropylene) and three gas combinations 5%O2 + 20%CO2 + 75%N2, 60%O2 + 20%CO2 + 20%N2 and Air) at 1 °C and 90-95% relative humidity for 35 days. Unpackaged cornelian cherries were used as a control. Samples were taken initially and at intervals of 7-days during storage, when quality parameters were measured. Results showed that modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) allowed the stored fruits to retain their weight and visual quality throughout the experiment, regardless of the gas combinations used, while by the end of the storage period the unpackaged fruit lost over 30% of their weight and consequently visual quality. Overall, packaging in 60%O2 + 20%CO2 polypropylene (PP) and air low density polyethylene (LDPE) could retard soluble solid contents, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, anthocyanin index decrease and pH increase during the storage time. Additionally, such packaging could lead to better surface color preservation than that of fruits kept in open containers. Furthermore, packaging in air low density polyethylene and 60%O2 + 20%CO2 low density polyethylene could delay total phenolics accumulation and increase peroxidase activity to levels higher than those in the control. During the maintenance period, no symptoms of decay were observed

Effect of MAP and Different Atmospheric Conditions on the Sensory Attributes and Shelf life Characteristics of Fresh Pistachio Nuts

Abstract: Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) was used to increase the shelf life of fresh in hull pistachio nuts (Pistacia vera L.), meeting the market demand for fresh high quality products. Fresh in hull pistachio nuts were stored at 5°C and three different gaseous conditions including 10% O 2 , 20% CO 2 and 70% N 2 (MAP1), 100% CO 2 (MAP2) and ambient atmosphere for 42 days. The samples of 300 g of pistachio nuts were packaged in sealed high barrier poly propylene (PP) bags (26×20 cm). The permeability of films for CO 2 was 3910 cm 3 /m 2 dbar at 23°C and 50% RH. The thickness and the surface of the used films were 2.00 mm and 78.90 cm 2 , respectively. External appearance, weight loss, firmness and color attributes and microbial growth were investigated at regular intervals throughout the storage period. Significant differences were found between packaged and unpackaged fresh in hull pistachio nuts in the most of parameters considered. The firmness in the nuts decreased markedly in control samples. This trend was also observed in the nuts stored under 10% O 2 , 20% CO 2 and 70% N 2 . However, the firmness in those nuts stored in 100% CO 2 increased. On the other hand weight loss was quite slighter in the samples stored at MAP comparing to the control ones (p&lt;0.01). MAP had a significant effect (p&lt;0.01) on the storage time, with the external appearance being the limiting factor for shelf-life of pistachio nuts. Storage in 100% CO 2 and 5°C showed the best results among the treatments in terms of retaining physical properties and sensory attributes, increasing the health and extending the shelf-life of fresh in hull pistachio nuts