Strategy for Maintaining the Quality of Fresh-Cut Melon During Cold Storage Through Corn Starch-Gelatin Edible Coating Enriched with Citric Acid

Abstract

Fresh-cut melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a popular minimally processed product widely consumed in Indonesia; however, peeling and cutting operations accelerate physiological deterioration, microbial spoilage, and quality loss, thereby shortening its shelf life. The application of edible coatings has emerged as a sustainable strategy to maintain the quality of fresh-cut fruits during cold storage. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of citric acid concentration on the physicochemical properties of corn starch-gelatin-based edible coating solutions and to assess their efficacy in maintaining the quality of fresh-cut melon stored at 10 °C for 12 days. A completely randomized design (CRD) with a single factor was employed, consisting of five citric acid concentrations (0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%, w/v). The citric acid-enriched coating solutions were characterized based on visual appearance, pH, and functional group analysis using FTIR, while the quality of fresh-cut melon was evaluated through weight loss, moisture content, firmness, browning index (BI), total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and sensory attributes. The results revealed that the incorporation of 0.5% citric acid significantly reduced the pH of the coating solution and effectively suppressed weight loss to 9.40 ± 2.06%, while maintaining a titratable acidity of 1.18 ± 0.20% and a browning index of 2.16 ± 0.55 after 12 days of storage. These findings demonstrate that citric acid-enriched corn starch-gelatin edible coating, particularly at 0.5% concentration, is a promising eco-friendly approach for maintaining the quality of fresh-cut melon during cold storage.