Influence of chitosan on postharvest behavior of papaya (Carica papaya L.) Fruits under different storage conditions

Abstract

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) fruit is highly perishable in nature due to high physiological processes and microbial decay. Harvest and postharvest losses of papaya is reported to be 7.36%. Chitosan is an edible and biologically safe preservative coating. The experiments were carried out independently to record the influence of postharvest dip treatment of chitosan on papaya fruits stored at ambient (28±1oC) and cold storage (12±1oC). Papaya fruits harvested at Stage 2 (Appearance of yellow streak) were treated with chitosan concentrations from 0.5 to 3 per cent. Among the treatments, the fruits treated with chitosan at 3 per cent recorded minimum physicochemical processes and decay and retained maximum sensory quality under both storage conditions. The chitosan treated fruits showed significantly higher storage life of 9 and 23days in ambient and cold storage, respectively compared to control (7days in ambient and 18 days in cold storage).