Abstract
Development of edible coating from a combination of chitosan (CH) polymer and nano (S) essential oil (EO) has gained commercial recognition for its safe and effective impact on fruit quality preservation over conventional chemical fungicides. Conventional chemical fungicides used for postharvest quality extension pose health and environmental concerns, driving the search for safer green alternatives. Hence, this study investigated the efficacy of an eco‐friendly CH‐based coating incorporated with spearmint (S) ( Mentha spicata ) EO nanoemulsion in maintaining postharvest quality and bioactive compounds of “Tango” mandarins ( Citrus reticulata) during cold storage. Five treatments, (i) uncoated control, (ii) chemical fungicide (imazalil, 250 g/L), (iii) CH (0.8%), (iv) (S)EO nanoemulsion (2%), and (v) combined CH (0.8%) loaded with (S)EO (2%) nanoemulsion coating were evaluated. Fruits were stored at 10°C and 85% RH for 28 days following a completely randomized design, with quality attributes and natural decaying ( Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum ) assessed at 7‐day intervals. The combined CH + EO nanoemulsion treatment significantly ( p < 0.05) showed commercially acceptable weight loss (5%) and maintained higher firmness (12.5 N) compared to the control. Coating reduced the decay incidence of P. digitatum and P. italicum incidence with CH + EO nanoemulsion showing comparable efficacy to imazalil. Total carotenoid levels in the CH (0.8%) + (S)EO (2%) nanoemulsion treatment were significantly higher ( p < 0.05) between Days 14 and 28 compared with all other groups. This treatment also better preserved total soluble solids, titratable acidity, phenolic compounds (gallic, caffeic, protocatechuic acids, naringenin, and hesperidin), and antioxidant activity. These findings demonstrate the potential of CH–S nanoemulsion coatings as an eco‐sustainable postharvest strategy to extend shelf life and preserve nutritional quality of soft citrus (mandarins).
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Combined coating limited mandarin weight loss to 5% versus control.
Verbatim
e0“The combined CH + EO nanoemulsion treatment significantly ( p < 0.05) showed commercially acceptable weight loss (5%) and maintained higher firmness (12.5 N) compared to the control”
e1““Tango” mandarins ( Citrus reticulata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined coating maintained higher mandarin firmness of 12.5 N versus control.
Verbatim
e0“The combined CH + EO nanoemulsion treatment significantly ( p < 0.05) showed commercially acceptable weight loss (5%) and maintained higher firmness (12.5 N) compared to the control”
e1““Tango” mandarins ( Citrus reticulata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Coating reduced mandarin decay incidence from P. digitatum.
- Taxon
- mandarinse1
- Treatment
- Coatinge0
- Interactor
- P. digitatum
Penicillium digitatume0pathogen - Outcome
- decay incidence of P. digitatume0
- Direction
- reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Coating reduced the decay incidence of P. digitatum and P. italicum incidence with CH + EO nanoemulsion showing comparable efficacy to imazalil”
e1““Tango” mandarins ( Citrus reticulata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Coating reduced mandarin decay incidence from P. italicum.
- Taxon
- mandarinse1
- Treatment
- Coatinge0
- Interactor
- P. italicum
Penicillium italicume0pathogen - Outcome
- P. italicum incidencee0
- Direction
- reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Coating reduced the decay incidence of P. digitatum and P. italicum incidence with CH + EO nanoemulsion showing comparable efficacy to imazalil”
e1““Tango” mandarins ( Citrus reticulata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined coating had decay control efficacy comparable to imazalil.
Verbatim
e0“CH + EO nanoemulsion showing comparable efficacy to imazalil”
e1““Tango” mandarins ( Citrus reticulata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined coating raised total carotenoids between days 14 and 28 versus all other groups.
Verbatim
e0“Total carotenoid levels in the CH (0.8%) + (S)EO (2%) nanoemulsion treatment were significantly higher ( p < 0.05) between Days 14 and 28 compared with all other groups”
e1““Tango” mandarins ( Citrus reticulata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined coating better preserved soluble solids, titratable acidity and phenolic compounds.
- Taxon
- mandarinse2
- Treatment
- combined CH (0.8%) loaded with (S)EO (2%) nanoemulsion coatinge1
- Outcome
- total soluble solids, titratable acidity, phenolic compoundse0
- Direction
- better preservede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“This treatment also better preserved total soluble solids, titratable acidity, phenolic compounds (gallic, caffeic, protocatechuic acids, naringenin, and hesperidin), and antioxidant activity”
e1“combined CH (0.8%) loaded with (S)EO (2%) nanoemulsion coating”
e2““Tango” mandarins ( Citrus reticulata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined coating better preserved antioxidant activity.
- Taxon
- mandarinse2
- Treatment
- combined CH (0.8%) loaded with (S)EO (2%) nanoemulsion coatinge1
- Outcome
- antioxidant activitye0
- Direction
- better preservede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“This treatment also better preserved total soluble solids, titratable acidity, phenolic compounds (gallic, caffeic, protocatechuic acids, naringenin, and hesperidin), and antioxidant activity”
e1“combined CH (0.8%) loaded with (S)EO (2%) nanoemulsion coating”
e2““Tango” mandarins ( Citrus reticulata)”
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- no effect
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nanoparticle · physiology: pigments · Citrus reticulata (tangerine)Results agree
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8 of 13 groups shown: named compounds and organisms first, then groups whose results differ (checked claim by claim), then those with positive and negative results, then the smaller groups.
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.