Abstract

GONZALEZ CUELLO, Rafael; PEREZ MENDOZA, Jaime  and  GELVEZ ORDONEZ, Víctor. POST-HARVEST SHELF-LIFE INCREASE OF AVOCADOS (Persea americana) USING GELLAN GUM BASED COATING. rev.udcaactual.divulg.cient. [online]. 2017, vol.20, n.1, pp.101-110. ISSN 0123-4226.

Avocado is one of the fruits of economic importance in Colombia. However, it presents losses mainly during the post-harvest period. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of an edible coating based on high acyl (HAG) and low acyl gellan (LAG) on post-harvest avocado quality (Persea americana cv. "Hass") stored during nine weeks. A factorial design 2³ was employed for the biofilm preparation, where the factors were concentrations of HAG (0.30 and 0.60% w/v), LAG (0.30 and 0.60% w/v) and glycerol (GLY v/v). As antimicrobial aqueous extract of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L) was used. Properties such as firmness, moisture loss, pH, total soluble solids (TSS) during storage were evaluated. Finally, for the microbiological shelf life estimation the Hinshelwood Monod equation was applied previous data modeling using the Baranyi and Roberts model. The results indicated that the application of edible coatings based on gellan gum containing low concentrations of glycerol reduces the loss of firmness, moisture, soluble solids and prevent large changes in pH, maintaining the quality of avocado and extend its shelf life.

Keywords : Avocado; lemon balm; gellan gum; edible coating; post-harvest shelf life.

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