Evaluating commercial viability of gum Arabic-based edible coatings for enhancing shelf life of 'African Delight™' plum under simulated packhouse conditions

This research evaluated the commercial viability of using different concentrations of gum Arabic (GA) based edible coatings on ‘African Delight™’ plums in a commercial packhouse environment. The coatings tested were GA 2 %, GA 5 %, GA 10 %, GA 5 % with pomegranate seed oil, and GA 5 % with ascorbic acid. The postharvest quality was tracked during a simulated export scenario, including six weeks of cold storage at −0.5 ± 2 °C and 90 ± 5 % RH, followed by a 15-day shelf life at 20 ± 2 °C and 80 ± 5 % RH. GA 10 % was the most effective among the formulations, significantly (p < 0.05) delaying physicochemical changes such as fruit softening, acidity reduction, and peel colour darkening. Sensory analysis showed that plums coated with GA 10 % retained unripe to semi-ripe characteristics at 5 days of shelf life, while control plums were classified as ripe to overripe. This indicates that GA 10 % can extend the commercial shelf life of plums beyond the current 5-day limit. Furthermore, the study demonstrated the potential of these coatings as an eco-friendly alternative to HDPE bags. However, the effectiveness of edible coatings was limited by their moisture barrier properties, requiring further optimization for wider commercial use.