Active coating from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-based nanocomposite incorporated with Thai essential oils on mango (cv. Namdokmai Sithong)

Biopolymer such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) itself did not possess any antifungal activity. To enhance its antifungal activity, Thai essential oils (EOs) were incorporated into HPMC-based nanocomposite coatings and tested in mangoes cv. Namdokmai Sithong against an anthracnose disease. A reduction in weight loss, firmness loss, changes in colors and higher soluble solid content were observed in the coated mangoes. The mangoes coated with HPMC-based nanocomposite coatings incorporated with the antifungal EOs exhibited a higher score of overall acceptance than uncoated ones. The shelf-life of coated mangoes was extended to 18 days at 13 °C. All essential oils from ginger, plai and fingerroot incorporated into the HPMC-based nanocomposite edible coating delayed losses caused by C. gloeosporioides better than from using the HPMC-based nanocomposite coating alone. Therefore, active HPMC-based nanocomposite coatings incorporating Thai essential oils can inhibit the growth of C. gloeosporioides and prolong the fruit shelf-life of mango fruit without an adverse sensory effect.