Effect of lemon essential oil-enriched coating on the postharvest storage quality of citrus fruits

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of lemon essential oil and its mixtures with chitosan, calcium chloride, and natamycin on the postharvest storage quality of citrus. The analysis of the physiological and biochemical index changes of citrus stored at 20 ± 2 °C and 75 ± 5% relative humidity for 60 days showed that lemon essential oil and its mixtures could help to maintain nutritional and sensory quality of citrus. In addition, the lemon essential oil and its mixtures increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD). The citrus treated with 1.0% lemon essential oil, 1.0% chitosan, 1.0% calcium chloride, and 0.03% natamycin presented the highest contents of total soluble solids(TSS), titratable acid (TA), and vitamin C (Vc), and the lowest decay rate, weight loss, relative conductivity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and better SOD, CAT, and POD activities, all of which suggested that this mixture had the best effect on keeping citrus fresh. This work could provide a theoretical basis for using a lemon essential oil mixture as a green preservative to improve the storage quality of citrus.

Keywords:
citrus; lemon essential oil; storage quality; antioxidant enzymes