Efficacy of edible coatings blended with aloe vera in retaining post-harvest quality and improving storage attributes in Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk.)

Abstract

Efficacy of chitosan, gum acacia, guar gum, and paraffin is well established as an effective edible coating. To ensure combined benefits of edible coating and medicinal herb, an attempt has been made to blend these two into a homogeneous mixture and use it for quality enhancement studies of ber. Gaur gum blended with aloe vera could reduce physiological loss in weight (9%) upto 15th day of storage. Shrinkage percentage in terms of length and breadth was minimum in T3 which was 1.96 and 2.55 respectively. Guar gum blended with aloe-vera was also able to maintain the greenish-yellow colour of the fruit upto 15th day of ambient storage and was able to minimize the loss in titratable acidity as well. Guar gum blended with aloe-vera was also able to restore ascorbic acid content upto an extent. Fruit firmness was also more upto 15th days (657.67 N) of storage when the fruits were coated with guar gum blended with aloe-vera. Minimum decay of fruits were observed in T3 (1.67) followed by T6 (6.67), T9 (6.69), T8 (8.33) and T2 (8.33).