Edible Coating Development for Fresh-cut Cantaloupe

The consumption of fresh-cut fruits has been increasing in recent years due to their health benefits. Fresh-cut cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L.) represents a great snack alternative due to its low caloric content, freshness, and basic component of a healthy diet. One of the latest alternatives to reduce the decay of quality brought by minimal processing of fruits is the development of edible coatings. Acting as a barrier to moisture and gases, the coatings are expected to extend the shelf-life of fresh-cut products, thus the main objective of this research was to determine the effectiveness of an antimicrobial edible coating on the shelf-life of fresh cut cantaloupe (stored at 4 degrees C for 15 days) while maintaining its quality attributes. The effect of different coating compositions and their concentrations on a product's chemical properties and quality attributes was studied. A set of solutions containing chitosan, beta-cyclodextrin, trans-cinnamaldehyde, pectin and calcium chloride were used as coating systems for the fruit using the layer-by-layer method. Quality was measured in terms of texture, color, weight loss, moisture, acidity, and pH. In addition, a consumer sensory test was carried out to support the findings from the objective quality data. Microbiological tests were carried out to determine the effectiveness of trans-cinnamaldehyde as antimicrobial agent within the coating. Uncoated fresh-cut cantaloupe samples stored at 4 degrees C served as controls. In terms of microbiological and physicochemical quality attributes, the antimicrobial coating improved the shelf-life of fresh-cut cantaloupe (up to 12 days), compared to the controls (only 6 days). The coating composed of 2% antimicrobial, 2% chitosan and 1% pectin was the most effective in terms of consumer's acceptance (P