Postharvest coating of Cordia myxa gum supplemented with CaCl2 extends the shelf-life of artichoke bottoms during refrigerated storage

This study aimed to prolong the shelf life of fresh-cut artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) bottoms under refrigerated conditions (2??C and 95 % RH) for a period of 9 d. Fresh artichoke bottoms were subjected to an edible coating of Cordia myxa gum (Cg) supplemented with or without calcium dichloride (CaCl2) 1 %, or ascorbic acid (AsA) 1 %. The key postharvest quality parameters which were investigated were weight loss, browning, polyphenol oxidase activity (PPO), firmness, vitamin C, and total phenolic compounds (TPC). Moreover, the microbial load of artichoke bottoms during the storage was also measured which comprised of total aerobic mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, fungi, and E. coli. Results indicated that edible coating with Cg, when supplemented with CaCl2 or AsA, had a significant positive effect on weight loss, vitamin C, and TPC. Browning and PPO activities were significantly inhibited by Cg supplemented with AsA. The mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacterial count was significantly reduced in the presence of CaCl2 with or without Cg. For moulds and E. coli control, again Cg in combination with CaCl2 seems to be the most effective treatment. Hence, based on these findings, it can be recommended that postharvest coating Cg supplemented with CaCl2 could be a new application for delaying browning and extending the shelf-life of artichoke bottoms during refrigerated storage. Further research and development are required in commercial settings to test and scale the application of Cg in fresh-cut artichoke bottom industry. SourcesImproving postharvest storage of fresh artichoke bottoms by an edible coating of Cordia myxa gumMohamed M. El-Mogy, Aditya Parmar, Marwa R. Ali, Mohamed E. Abdel-Aziz & Emad A. AbdeldaymPostharvest Biology and Technology Volume 163, May 2020, 111143https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0925521419312293#! Picture by Wikipedia,?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordia_myxa?