Application of edible coatings and repetitive pulsed light for shelf life extension of fresh-cut cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L. reticulatus cv. Glamour)

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of edible coatings combined with repetitive pulsed light (RPL) treatment on microbiological stability, quality and physicochemical changes of fresh-cut cantaloupes during storage at 4 ± 1 °C. Fresh-cut cantaloupes were coated with various coating materials. The coated fresh-cut cantaloupes were packed in polypropylene bag and exposed to RPL treatment with a fluence of 0.9 J cm−2 every 48 h up to 28 d of storage at 4 ± 1 °C. The microbiological quality, headspace gas composition, physical quality (firmness, fluid loss and colour), chemical quality (pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, total phenolic content and ascorbic acid content) and coating homogeneity and adherence of these fresh-cut cantaloupes were determined. The combination of pectin, alginate and gellan coatings with RPL treatment was effective to reduce fluid loss and retain firmness of fresh-cut cantaloupes compared to control samples while maintaining the desired headspace gas composition for fresh-cut cantaloupe throughout storage. Chitosan-based coating enhanced the microbiological quality of fresh-cut cantaloupes but increased its fluid loss and reduction of ascorbic acid content. Colour, pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids and total phenolic content were maintained throughout the storage for coated fresh-cut cantaloupes treated with RPL. In conclusion, a combination of alginate and RPL treatment was the most effective treatment condition to extend the shelf life of fresh-cut cantaloupes by maintaining microbiological quality up to 28 d with significantly reduced fluid loss and enhanced firmness compared to samples treated with RPL alone. Alginate coating adhered well to the surfaces of fresh-cut cantaloupes and retained its physicochemical and nutritional quality when combined with RPL.