Applying edible coatings added with plant essential oils is a strategy used to delay ripening processes in climacteric fruits such as papaya. Formulations comprising 3% or 4% cassava starch (w/v), added with clove or cinnamon essential oils (2 mL/L), were tested for microbial inhibition (in vitro) purposes. Moreover, these fruits' physicochemical and microbiological aspects were assessed at 25 °C, for 12 days. Slight variations in pH and Brix values were observed during storage. On the other hand, there were no significant variations in carotenoid contents over storage time. The papaya fruits' coating contributed to reducing their weight loss from 40.66% (uncoated sample) to 24.10% on the 12th storage day, as well as delayed changes often observed during the ripening process. The 4% cassava starch coatings added with essential oils were more efficient in reducing microbiological levels. The herein proposed treatments reduced aerobic mesophilic bacteria, as well as molds and yeast counts, by 1.48 and 1.95 log CFU/g, on average, respectively, in comparison to the control sample. The assessed microorganism counts were higher in the uncoated sample than in the coated papaya fruits, after 12 days of storage. Thus, the tested coatings can potentially delay the emergence of post-harvest changes; consequently, they can help improve the quality of papaya fruits and extend their shelf life.
Keywords: edible film; food technology; non-biodegradable packaging; post-harvest.