Postharvest dip treatment with a natural lysophospholipid plus soy lecithin extended the shelf life of banana fruit

• A post harvest dip in a natural lipid improved shelf life of banana fruit by 3 d.
• Lipid dispersed in lecithin improved the effectiveness of the dip on shelf life.
• Treatment had no observable negative effect on ripening and marketability.
• Lipid preserved membrane health and reduced fruit softening during storage.

Lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE), a natural phospholipid, has been investigated for retarding senescence and promoting the shelf life of fruit and other plant tissues. LPE is a water insoluble phospholipid. For most experimental purposes, LPE is dispersed in water prior to treatment of fruit using sonication. In this study, the water solubility of LPE was improved by mixing it with soy lecithin prior to mixing with water. A combination of LPE and lecithin was used for a dip treatment of banana fruit. Banana fruit at ripening stage 2 (3/4 green) were dipped in this solution for 30 min and then stored at room temperature for 10 d. A combination of 200 mg L−1 LPE and lecithin gave the best shelf life. In this treatment over 75% of the fruit were marketable 7 d after treatment. While only about 20% and 28% of the fruit were marketable in the water (control) and lecithin treated-fruit respectively. Fruit treated with lecithin alone had better shelf life as compared to the control. Furthermore, the LPE + lecithin treatment gave better shelf life as compared to the LPE alone treatment. At 7 d after dip, fruit treated with LPE + lecithin had lower ion leakage from peel tissue, higher pulp firmness, and thicker peel as compare to the control and lecithin treatments. A dip treatment with NAA (1-naphthalene acetic acid) was compared with LPE + lecithin for fruit marketability and changes in various fruit properties during ripening. Although NAA improved shelf life and retarded fruit softening as compared to the control, this treatment resulted in abnormal de-greening of fruit peel tissue. Fruit treated with LPE + lecithin had normal yellow color development and had lower ethylene production as compared to NAA and control treatments. The results of this study suggest that a dip treatment with a combination of LPE and lecithin may have potential for improving shelf life of banana fruit.