Application of Chitosan- Aloe vera Gel Based Coating on Postharvest Quality and Storability of Red Chili ( Capsicum annuum L.)

Abstract

Red chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is a high-demand horticultural commodity in Indonesia but is vulnerable to quality deterioration. Postharvest treatment is needed to maintain the quality and extend the shelf life of red chilies. One of the promising preservation technologies to prolong the shelf-life of perishable agricultural products is edible coating application. This present work was intended to evaluate the effect of chitosan and Aloe vera-based coating formulations on quality attributes of red chilies after 15 days of storage at room temperature. This study used a completely randomized design (CRD) with two factors, including the concentration of chitosan (1, 1.5, and 2%) and A. vera (5 and 10%) that were conducted in triplicate for each treatment. The obtained results showed that the application of chitosan and A. vera gel as an edible coating on preserving red chilies could inhibit the deterioration of postharvest red chilies. The best formulation, a combination of 2% chitosan and 10% A. vera, exhibited the most minimum decay percentage (43%) of red chilies. This coating formulation also has a great antifungal activity that could effectively inhibit the mycelium growth of Colletotrichum capsici up to 52%.