Aloe vera as an alternative to traditional edible coatings used in fresh-cut fruits: A case of study with kiwifruit slices

- The acid used in the formulations of the chitosan determines the effectiveness of this coating in kiwifruit slices.
- The acetic acid imparts an off-flavor to the kiwifruit slices from the day of application.
- Alginate does not enhance the quality of kiwifruit slices at 4 ± 1 °C.
- Aloe vera coating extends the shelf life and maintain the quality of kiwifruit slices by 11 days at 4 ± 1 °C.

In this work, a comparative study between Aloe vera, chitosan (formulated with acetic (-AC) or citric acid (-C)) and sodium alginate edible coatings was conducted to evaluate the effects on the quality and shelf life of minimally processed kiwifruit. The pH, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, color, texture properties, gas concentrations, pectin content, microbial load and sensory quality of the fruit were analyzed during 12 days at 4 ± 1 °C. Chitosan-AC and alginate based coatings act as a gas barrier, although after eight days of storage, a sharp rise in CO2 production was detected for the alginate and chitosan-C coatings. Aloe vera coating maintained the firmness of the fruit, prevented the ascorbic acid losses and yellowing due to ripening. Aloe vera and chitosan-AC reduced microbial proliferation; however chitosan-AC coated slices were not accepted by the sensory panelists. In contrast, fruit treated with an alginate based coating had higher microorganism counts than the control samples. The sensory panel preferred the kiwifruit slices treated with Aloe vera or chitosan-C coatings compared to the other coatings. Our study indicates that Aloe vera was the best coating to both extend the postharvest shelf life and maintain the sensory properties of the product trough the storage period.