Refrigeration and chitosan coating extend the postharvest life of Mexican plum (Spondias purpurea L.) ‘Costeña’
Keywords:
Flavonoides, etileno, actividad antioxidante, respiraciónAbstract
The use of edible coatings and refrigeration are postharvest technologies that extend the shelf life of Mexican plum (Spondias purpurea L.), a seasonal fruit genetic resource. This objective of this study was to evaluate the postharvest behavior of the ‘Costeña’ variety with 1 % chitosan coating (CC) and without coating (UC), stored at 7 °C and 12 °C for 24 d, in addition to uncoated fruits stored at 25 °C. Control fruits showed maximum ethylene production and respiration at 8 d, a 60 % loss of firmness within 10 d, 16 % weight loss in 9 d, and an increase in soluble solids to 14 °Bx at 4 d, an a constant increase in flavor index. Titratable acidity, phenolics, and flavonoids decreased, whereas antioxidant activity showed the opposite trend. Storage at 7 °C and 12 °C delayed physiological processes and maintained commercial quality, while 1 % chitosan delayed ripening and preserved nutraceutical compounds.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Gloria Arantxa Sotelo-Alcántara, Iran Alia Tejacal , Víctor López-Martínez, Porfirio Juárez-López, Gloria Alicia Pérez-Arias, Erika Román-Montes de Oca, Nelson Avonce-Vergara, Juan Manuel Villareal-Fuentes
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