Effects of polymeric coating and anti-fungal treatment on the shrinkage characteristics of pineapple fruits during storage

Abstract

The combined effects of polymeric coatings and anti-fungal treatment on the shrinkage characteristics of pineapple fruits during postharvest storage were evaluated. A 2×2×10 factorial experiment was performed with polymeric coatings (0 and 5%), anti-fungal treatment (0 and 0.01%), and storage time (0-10 days) as the factors. The shrinkage evolution, shell color break, and crown withering index were evaluated using standard analytical methods. Regression models were developed to predict the variables and their effects on the studied indices. The results showed that the polymeric coating, anti-fungal treatment, and storage time significantly (p < 0.05) influenced the shrinkage evolution, shell color break, and crown withering index of the fruits and very high regression coefficients (87.2-99.3%) were noted among the indices. The 5% polymeric coating with fungicide at 0.01% significantly arrested the shrinkage evolution, shell color break, and crown withering index under both low (4°C) and ambient (28°C) storage. Shrinkage characteristics of pineapple fruits can, therefore, be effectively minimized by 5% polymeric coating and 0.01% anti-fungal treatment during postharvest storage. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.