Effects of Chitosan and Aloe Vera Gel Coatings on the Preservation Characteristics of Cucumber Samples

This study evaluated the effect of Chitosan and Aloe vera gel coatings on the preservation of selected cucumber samples. Chitosan was produced from orange-crab shells with 76% degree of deacetylation while homogenized Aloe vera gel extracted from the plants was thermally pre-treated at 70 °C for 30 minutes. Coatings were applied using dipping techniques and air-dried before storage in discrete plots under ambient conditions. The study estimated physicochemical, nutritional and microbiological qualities of the coated and uncoated samples for a period of 4 weeks using standard procedures. Chitosan and Aloe vera gel had antimicrobial effect on the cucumber samples at week three while Chitosan- Aloe vera mix had more antimicrobial effect on the cucumber samples at week four of storage period. Eight bacterial and seven fungal isolates were obtained from the chitosan and Aloe vera coatings on the cucumber samples namely Aeromonas, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Escherichia, Proteus, Klebsiella, Serratia, Enterobacter, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Rhizopus and, Saccharomyces; with Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus niger as most occurring bacterial and fungal species respectively. Chitosan, Aloe vera and Chitosan-aloe vera mix coated samples had moisture content, protein content and carbohydrate retention of 95.09±0.01 %, 1.31±0.09 % and 0.46±0.14 %; 94.67±0.14 %, 0.65±0.03 % and 1.61±0.44 % ; 93.76±0.09  %, 1.27±0.66 %, and 0.69±0.51 %   respectively.  It can be concluded that Chitosan and Aloe vera gel coatings are effective in preservation of cucumbers with significant retention of nutrients and reduction in microbial contamination