Effects of a composite chitosan–gelatin edible coating on postharvest quality and storability of red bell peppers

•Composite chitosan–gelatin coatings were for the first time applied to peppers.•The coatings reduce microbial spoilage and water loss and enhance firmness.•The coated peppers keep normal respiration and original nutritional content.•The peppers storage period was extended in both cold and shelf-life storage.

For the first time, a composite chitosan–gelatin (CH–GL) coating was applied to peppers and its effects on fruit quality and storability were examined. Pure chitosan (CH) and gelatin (GL) coatings were studied for comparison. The CH coating inhibited microbial spoilage and prolonged the possible storage period. The GL coating contributed to fruit firmness, but did not allow for prolonged storage. The composite CH–GL coating was associated with a two-fold decrease in microbial decay, significantly (p ≤ 0.05) enhanced fruit texture and prolonged the possible period of cold storage up to 21 days and fruit shelf-life up to 14 days, without affecting the respiration or nutritional content of the fruit.

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