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<p>Postharvest deterioration of banana fruits during ambient storage is primarily associated with rapid ripening, moisture loss, softening of texture, discoloration, and microbial spoilage, leading to significant economic losses. The present study investigated the potential application of natural wax extracted from <i>Opuntia spp.</i> (prickly pear) cladodes as a biodegradable edible coating for extending the postharvest shelf life of banana fruits. Freshly harvested bananas were coated with the extracted wax and stored under ambient conditions (25 ± 2&#xa0;°C), while uncoated fruits served as the control. Physico-mechanical and postharvest quality parameters, including discoloration index, physiological weight loss, firmness, and microbial decay incidence, were evaluated periodically during 9 days of storage. The results demonstrated that wax-coated bananas exhibited delayed ripening and significantly reduced browning compared to control fruits. On the 9th day of storage, coated fruits recorded lower discoloration values (3.0) than control fruits (5.0). Physiological weight loss was substantially reduced in coated samples (9%) compared to uncoated fruits (16%). Similarly, firmness retention was higher in wax-coated bananas (20&#xa0;N) than in control fruits (10&#xa0;N), indicating improved textural stability. Microbial decay incidence was also significantly lower in coated fruits (30%) compared to control samples (60%) at the end of storage. The semi-permeable barrier formed by the <i>Opuntia</i> wax effectively regulated gas exchange, reduced transpiration, and slowed respiration rate, thereby improving storage stability. Overall, the findings highlight the effectiveness of prickly pear wax as a sustainable, eco-friendly, and biodegradable postharvest coating capable of extending banana shelf life and minimizing postharvest losses during ambient storage.</p>

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Physico mechanical evaluation and postharvest shelf-life enhancement of banana fruit via prickly pear (Opuntia spp.) wax coatings

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月2日

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  • Kalai Rajan Poomalaisundar,
  • Priyadharshini Sugumaran,
  • Nithishkumar Sengottaiyan,
  • Pooja Sivakumar,
  • Jeevanya Sri Murthi,
  • Adarsh Kesava Ramanujam,
  • Janani Mani,
  • Hariharan Kumar

摘要

Postharvest deterioration of banana fruits during ambient storage is primarily associated with rapid ripening, moisture loss, softening of texture, discoloration, and microbial spoilage, leading to significant economic losses. The present study investigated the potential application of natural wax extracted from Opuntia spp. (prickly pear) cladodes as a biodegradable edible coating for extending the postharvest shelf life of banana fruits. Freshly harvested bananas were coated with the extracted wax and stored under ambient conditions (25 ± 2 °C), while uncoated fruits served as the control. Physico-mechanical and postharvest quality parameters, including discoloration index, physiological weight loss, firmness, and microbial decay incidence, were evaluated periodically during 9 days of storage. The results demonstrated that wax-coated bananas exhibited delayed ripening and significantly reduced browning compared to control fruits. On the 9th day of storage, coated fruits recorded lower discoloration values (3.0) than control fruits (5.0). Physiological weight loss was substantially reduced in coated samples (9%) compared to uncoated fruits (16%). Similarly, firmness retention was higher in wax-coated bananas (20 N) than in control fruits (10 N), indicating improved textural stability. Microbial decay incidence was also significantly lower in coated fruits (30%) compared to control samples (60%) at the end of storage. The semi-permeable barrier formed by the Opuntia wax effectively regulated gas exchange, reduced transpiration, and slowed respiration rate, thereby improving storage stability. Overall, the findings highlight the effectiveness of prickly pear wax as a sustainable, eco-friendly, and biodegradable postharvest coating capable of extending banana shelf life and minimizing postharvest losses during ambient storage.