Pear is a typically climacteric fruit and highly perishable with a low shelf life owing to extreme metabolic activity after harvesting. The present study aimed to reduce weight loss and improve the firmness of pear during storage. The lemon peel essential oil (LPEO) has gained considerable attention due to being the richest source of bioactive compounds that behaved as a natural antioxidant agent, being cost-effective, and being generally recognized as safe. Edible coatings equipped with a natural antioxidant agent and renewable biopolymers have gained more research fame owing to their involvement in the direction of biodegradability and food safety. In this work, edible skin coating materials (ESCMs) embedded by chitosan (1%) and guar gum (2%) were fabricated, and afterward, five concentrations of LPEO (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3.0%) were incorporated individually into the ESCMs. Findings revealed that LPEO-ESCMs significantly reduced the weight loss and improved the firmness of pear up to 45 days of storage at 4 ± 2°C. Furthermore, the LPEO-ESCMs have enhanced the antioxidant capacity, antibacterial efficiency, and malondialdehyde level of pear during storage time. It was concluded that 3% of LPEO-ESCMs improved the overall acceptability of pear fruits. Taken together, the novel insights of guar gum and chitosan-based ESCMs entrapped with LPEO will remain a subject of research interest for researchers in the future.
Keywords: chitosan; edible coatings; guar gum; lemon peel essential oil; pear.
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