Quality Preservation and Shelf Life Extension of Broccoli Florets Using Tragacanth Gum Coating

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
F. Varasteh 1
S. Zamani 2
1 Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Plant Production, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, P.O. Box: 49189-43464, Gorgan, Islamic Republic of Iran.
2 Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agricultural Science, Guilan University, P. O. Box: 41996-13776, Rasht, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Abstract
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) as an important vegetable has a high postharvest respiration rate, so, it loses its quality rapidly. The use of edible films and coatings as protective layers to create a covering on the surface of fruits and vegetables plays a key role in maintaining the quality of this product. The present research investigated the qualitative and biochemical traits of broccoli coated with tragacanth gum (0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4%) and cellophane and uncoated ones (as control) weekly during three-weeks cold storage. Based on the results, coating influenced all measured traits (except flavonoid content, vitamin C and antioxidant activity) and storage time influenced all recorded traits significantly (P< 0.01). The results revealed that over the storage period, the physicochemical and biochemical parameters and visual quality of the broccoli decreased. Tragacanth gum 0.2% led to less weight loss, however, appropriate soluble solids content, and higher titratable acidity and organoleptic properties were recorded for 0.4% coated florets. Cellophane was effective in retaining some physicochemical characteristics, weight, and marketability, but it reduced phenolics. Tragacanth gum coating can be used as a biomaterial, as a substitute for synthetic cellophane film to preserve broccoli.

Keywords

Subjects

Abebe, Z., Tola, Y. B. and Mohammed, A. 2017. Effects of edible coating materials and stages of maturity at harvest on storage life and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruits. Afr. J. Agr. Res., 12: 550-565.
Adetunji, C. O., Fawole, O. B., Arowora, K. A., Nwaubani, S. I., Ajayi, E. S., Oloke, J. K., Majolagbe, O. M., Ogundele, B. A., Aina, J. A. and Adetunji, J. B. 2012. Effects of edible coatings from Aloe vera gel on quality andpostharvest physiology of Ananas comosus (L.) fruit during ambient storage. Glob. J. Sci. Frontier Res., 12: 37-43.
Ahmadi Gavlighi, H. 2012. Tragacanth gum: Structural composition, natural functionality and enxymatic conversion as source of potential prebiotic activity. PhD thesis, Technical university of Denmark.
Ahmed, W., Azmat, R., Qayyum, A., Mehmood, A., Khan, S. M., Liaquat, M., Ahmed, S. and Moin, S. 2018. The role of chitosan to prolonge the fresh fruit quality during storage of grape fruit cv Ray ruby. Pak. J. Bot., 50: 151-159.
Ali, A., Maqbool, M., Ramachandran, S. and Alderson, P. G. 2010. Gum arabic as a novel edible coating for enhancing shelf-life and improving postharvest quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicun L.) fruit. Postharvest Biol. Technol., 58: 42-47.
Aminzadeh, R., Amini, F., Ramin, A. A. and Mobli, M. 2014. The effect of different types of packaging films on the shelf life of button edible mushrooms. J. Crop Prod. Process., 3: 233-242.
Ashournezhad, M. and Ghasemnezhad, M. 2012. Effects of cellophane-film packaging and cold storage on the keeping quality and storage life of loquat fruit (Eriobotrya japonica). Iran. J. Nutr. Sci. Food Technol., 7: 95-102.
Athmaselvi, K. A, Sumitha, L. P. and Revathy, B. 2013. Development of Aloe vera based edible coating for tomato. Internatl. Agrophys., 27: 369-375.
Bifani, V., Ramírez, C., Ihl, M., Rubilar, M., García, A. and Zaritzky, N. 2007. Effects of murta (Ugni molinae Turcz) extract on gas and water vapor permeability of carboxy methyl cellulose-based edible films. LWT- Food Sci. Technol., 40: 1473-1481.
Boudet, A. M. 2007. Evolution and current status of research in phenolic compounds. Phytochem., 68: 2722-2735.
Chang, C. C., Yang, M. H., Wen, H. M. and Chern, J. C. 2002. Estimation of total flavonoid content in propolis by two complementary colorimetric methods. J. Food Drug Anal., 10: 178-182.
Dávila-Aviña, J. E., Villa-Rodríguez, J. A., Villegas-Ochoa, M. A., Tortoledo-Ortiz, O., Olivas, G. I., Ayala-Zavala, J. F. and González-Aguilar, G. A. 2014. Effect of edible coatings on bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of tomatoes at different maturity stages. J. Food Sci. Technol., 51: 2706-2712.
Ghazizadeh, M. and Razeghi, A. R. 1998. Sensory Methods for Food Evaluation. National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute of Iran. 184 pp.
Hassanpour, H. 2015. Effect of Aloe vera gel coating on antioxidant capacity, antioxidant enzymeactivities and decay in raspberry fruit. LWT - Food Sci. Technol., 60: 495–501.
Ignat, I., Volf, I. and Popa, V. I. 2011. A critical review of methods for characterization of polyphenolic compounds in fruits and vegetables. Food Chem., 126: 1821–1835.
Jafari, S., Hojjati, M. and Noshad, M. 2018. Effect of trehalose coating included Artemisia sieberi essential oil on some quantitative and qualitative postharvest characteristics of cherry tomato. Innovative Food Technol., 5: 287-300.
Koh, E., Wimalasiri, K. M. S., Chassy, A. W. and Mitchell, A. E. 2009. Content of ascorbic acid, quercetin, kaempferol and total phenolics in commercial broccoli. J. Food Compos. Anal., 22: 637-643.
Lemoine, M. L., Civello, P. M., Chaves, A. R. and Martıinez, G. A. 2010. Influence of a combined hot air and UV-C treatment on quality parameters of fresh-cut broccoli florets at 0 °C. Internatl. J. Food Sci. Technol., 45: 1212–1218.
Mohebbi, M., Amiryousefi, M. R., Hasanpour, N. and Ansarifar, E. 2012. Employing an intelligence model and sensitivity analysis to investigate some physicochemical properties of coated bell peppe during storage. Internatl. J. Food Sci. Technol., 47: 299–305.
No, H. K., Meyers, S. P., Prinyawiwatkul, W. and Xu, Z. 2007. Applications of chitosan for improvement of quality and shelf life of foods: a review. J. Food Sci., 72: 87-100.
Oke, M., Jacob, J. K. and Paliyath, G. 2012. Biochemistry of fruit processing, chap. 28, p. 569–583. In B. K. Simpson, L. M. L. Nollet, T. Toldra, S. Benjakul, and G. Paliyath (ed.), Food biochemistry and food processing, 2nd ed. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK.
Omoba, O. S. and Onyekwere, U. 2016. Postharvest physicochemical properties of cucumber fruits (Cucumber sativus L) treated with chitosan-lemon grass extracts under different storage durations. Afr. J. Biotechnol., 15: 2758-2766.
Ozturk, I., Sagdic, O., Yalcin, H., Capar, T. D. and Asyali. M. H. 2016. The effects of packaging type on the quality characteristics of fresh raw pistachios (Pistacia vera L.) during the storage. LWT-Food Sci. Technol., 65: 457-463.
Pathare, P. B., Opara, U. L. and Al-Said, F. A. J. 2013. Colour measurement and analysis in fresh and processed foods: a review. Food Bioproc. Technol., 6: 36-60.
Petriccione, M., Mastrobuoni, F., Pasquariello, M. S., Zampella, L., Nobis, E., Capriolo, G. and Scortichini, M. 2015. Effect of chitosan coating on the postharvest quality and antioxidant enzyme system response of strawberry fruit during cold storage. Foods, 4: 501-523.
Raghav, P. K., Agarwal, N. and Saini, M. 2016. Edible coating of fruits and vegetable: A review. Internatl. J. Sci. Res. Mod. Education, 1: 188-204.
Rivera, J. R. E., Stone, M. B., Stushnoff, C., Pilon-Smits, E. and Kendall, P. A. 2006. Effects of ascorbic acid applied by two hydrocooling methods on physical and chemical properties of green leaf lettuce stored at 5◦C. J. Food Sci., 71: 270–276.
Robert, D. H. 2005. A comparison of ethane, ethylene and CO2 peel permeance for fruit with different coatings. Postharvest Biol. Technol., 37: 56-64.
Shivashankara, K. S., Sobe, S. I., Alhaq, M. I., Takenaka, M. and Shina, T. 2004. Fruit antioxidant activity, ascorbic acid, total phenol, quercitin, and carotene of Irwin mango fruits stored at low-temperature after high electric field treatment. J. Agric. Food Chem., 52: 1281-86.
Slinkard, K. and Singleton, V. L. 1977. Total phenol analysis: automation and comparison with manual methods. Am. J. Enol. Viticult., 28: 49-55.
Tabatabaei, R., Ebrahimian, A. and Hashemi, S. J. 2016. Investigation on the effect of temperature, packaging material and modified atmosphere on the quality of tomato. J. Food Sci. Technol., 13: 1-13.
Varasteh, F., Arzani, K., Barzegar, M. and Zamani, Z. 2017. Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit storability improvement using pre-storage chitosan coating technique. J. Agricult. Sci. Technol., 19: 389-400.
Varasteh, F., Arzani, K., Barzegar, M. and Zamani, Z. 2012. Changes in anthocyanins in arils of chitosan-coated pomegranate (Punica granatum L. cv. Rabbab-e-Neyriz) fruit during cold storage. Food Chem., 130: 267–272.
Yaman, O. and Bayoindirli, L. 2002. Effects of an edible coating and cold storage on shelf-life and quality of cherries. LWT - Food Sci. Technol., 35: 146-150.
Yu, Y.W. and Ren, Y. Z. 2013. Effect of chitosan coating on preserving character of post-harvest fruit and vegetable: a review. J. Food Proc. Technol., 4: 1-3.
Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
Volume 24, Issue 4
July and August 2022
Pages 901-912