Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-019-00240-2 ORIGINAL PAPER Efect of diferent edible coatings on biochemical quality and shelf life of apricots (Prunus armenica L. cv Canino) Noha E. Morsy 1  · Ahmed M. Rayan 2 Received: 18 January 2019 / Accepted: 5 August 2019 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract As apricots have limited marketability due to their high degree of perishability that usually leads to extensive postharvest losses, this study determined the efect of diferent edible coatings on the quality, enzyme activity and shelf life of apricots. Apricots were dipped in diferent solutions of alginate, chitosan or gellan gum then stored at 4 °C and 80% ± 2% relative humidity for 15 days. Uncoated fruits were similarly stored as controls. Results revealed that the application of edible coat- ings reduced a range of degradative changes in the fruits. There were signifcant diferences in a number of biochemical characteristics [pH, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS) and vitamin C], external color, carotenoids, weight loss and frmness when treated samples were compared to control samples. All coatings were efective in inhibiting oxidative enzymes, with signifcant reductions observed in peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities. Specifcally, alginate (AL) 1%, chitosan (CH) 1% and gellan gum (GE) 1% demonstrated superiority in inhibiting enzyme activity. There- fore, coating apricots with alginate, chitosan and gellan gum can be considered a useful strategy for minimizing deterioration, maintaining quality and improving the shelf life of apricots under the storage temperature of 4 °C. Keywords Apricots · Edible coatings · Shelf life · Biochemical characteristics · Enzyme activity Introduction Apricots (Prunus armenica L) are a highly perishable, cli- macteric stone fruit with a limited storage life [1]. However, apricots are considered one of the most popular fruits culti- vated in Egypt. Apricots are very rich in nutrients and have positive efects on human health because they contain eight- een kinds of free amino acids, nine kinds of diferent sugars, high amounts of beta-carotene, and vitamin A, as well as high levels of iron and potassium [2]. The limited storage life of apricots results in the need for specialized handling pro- cesses with suitable safeguards to reduce post-harvest losses. Since the growing season for apricots is relatively short, considerable quantities of fresh fruits are consumed, and the remaining fruit is processed into natural or pasteurized juice, dried sheets or fruit “leathers”, canned products, jams, and juice concentrate [3]. The decay of apricot fruit begins shortly after harvest; this is due to the high respiratory and metabolic rate of the fruit [4]. Ripe fruit is exceedingly vulnerable to textural softening, decay, loss of favor, and continued metabolic processes that produce ethylene [5]. These characteristics shorten the timeframe for use of apricots since the fruit rapidly transitions from ripen to overripen stage. Thus, it is vital to explore innovative processes that can be used to extend the shelf life of apricots, especially for retail markets. Fruits shelf life can be extended by using several techniques combined with refrigeration including, controlled atmos- phere and hypobaric storage. However, these techniques are capital intensive and expensive [6]. Therefore, there is a need for alternative, low-cost technologies that can pro- long fruit shelf life and still utilize inexpensive production methods. Currently, the use of coatings that are edible, sim- ple, non-toxic, and biodegradable is being promoted as an alternative approach to extend the shelf life of fresh fruit [7]. Additionally, with increased consumption of fresh and minimally processed foods and greater awareness about the need for healthier nutrition, consumers desire high-quality * Ahmed M. Rayan ammrayan@yahoo.com 1 Department of Food Science & Technology (Home Economics Branch), Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt 2 Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt