Environ Exp Biol (2019) 17: 107–114

Elicitor-mediated sanitization in combination with edible coatings improve postharvest shelf life and antioxidant potential of mango fruit

Abstract

Mangoes are accepted globally due to their delicious taste. However, they tend to be very susceptible to physical and biological deterioration. Deterioration can be prevented by post-harvest treatments. In present study, the effect of elicitor and edible coating was evaluated to reduce post-harvest losses in mangoes. The combinations of treatments evaluated were UV-C irradiation, ozone water and guar gum, and their combinations, followed by storage at 32 ± 3 °C. Physico-chemical and metabolic quality were evaluated for different parameters at regular intervals. The results indicated that the coating and elicitor treatments were better as compared to the control in terms of quality and appearance. The antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds was significantly higher in UV-C and ozone water treatments than in control and other treatments. The ascorbic acid level was enhanced in UV-C and guar gum coating and UV-C, ozone and guar gum coating treatments compared to the control. Mangoes treated with UV-C and ozone water remained fresh and acceptable for 19 days, whereas control fruits decayed after 13 days of storage. Hence, treatment consisting of UV-C and ozone water can be used for the preservation of mangoes.