Effects of Gum Arabic Coatings Enriched with Lemongrass Essential Oil and Pomegranate Peel Extract on Quality Maintenance of Pomegranate Whole Fruit and Arils

Tatenda Gift Kawhena, Umezuruike Linus Opara, Olaniyi Amos Fawole

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The effects of gum arabic coatings combined with lemongrass oil and/or pomegranate peel extract on freshly harvested mature ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate fruit were studied. Fruit were coated with gum arabic (GA) (1.5% w/v) alone or enriched with lemongrass oil (LM) (0.1% v/v) and/or pomegranate peel extract (PP) (1% w/v). Fruit were packed into standard open top ventilated cartons (dimensions: 0.40 m long, 0.30 m wide and 0.12 m high), and stored for 6 weeks at 5 ± 1 °C (90% RH). Evaluations were made every 2 weeks of cold storage and after 5 d of shelf life (20 °C and 65% RH). Fruit coated with GA + PP (4.09%) and GA + PP + LM (4.21%) coatings recorded the least cumulative weight loss compared to the uncoated control (9.87%). After 6 weeks, uncoated control and GA + PP + LM recorded the highest (24.55 mg CO2Kg−1h−1) and lowest (10.76 mg CO2Kg−1h−1) respiration rate, respectively. Coating treatments reduced the incidence of decay and treatments GA + LM + PP and GA + PP recorded the highest total flavonoid content between 2 and 6 weeks of storage. The findings suggest that GA coatings with/without LM and PP can be a beneficial post-harvest treatment for ‘Wonderful’ pomegranates to reduce weight loss and decay development during cold storage.

Original languageEnglish
Article number593
JournalFoods
Volume11
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2022

Keywords

  • Coating
  • Decay
  • Gum arabic
  • Punica granatum

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Food Science
  • Microbiology
  • Health (social science)
  • Health Professions (miscellaneous)
  • Plant Science

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