FROM MINIMAL PROCESSING TO CONSERVATION: EFFECT OF CHITOSAN AND BENTONITE ON SHELF LIFE OF MELON (Cucumis melo cantalupensis)

Abstract

Strategies to extend the shelf life of minimally processed fruits include application of edible, biodegradable and sustainable coatings. In this perspective, the objective was to evaluate the effect of chitosan (1.5%) and bentonite (0.2%) coating on the conservation of minimally processed melon. There were three treatment groups, (MMP-C: minimally processed melon without coating) and two treatments (MRQ: minimally processed melon coated with 1.5% of chitosan and MRQA - minimally processed melon with 1.5% film coated with 1.5% chitosan and 0.2% of bentonite clay), stored under refrigeration at 5 ºC. For this, physical-chemical analyzes of pH, Total Soluble Solids (TSS), Total Titratable Acidity (TTA) and TSS/TTA ratio were performed; physical analysis of loss of mass and hardness; microbiological analyzes of mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, mold and yeast counts, coagulase positive staphylococci, Salmonella sp., Coliforms at 45 ºC and E. coli. It was evidenced that the coatings did not interfere with the pH, managed to reduce the speed of TSS accumulation and maintained the natural acidity of the fruits. In the physical parameters, the coatings were able to decrease the degradation of hardness and loss of mass. In microbiological parameters, the coatings inhibited or retarded the growth of all microorganisms. There was an increase in the shelf life of the coated samples by 4 days more than the control. It was concluded, therefore, that the edible coatings were efficient in prolonging the shelf life of the melon.