Effect of nano-chitosan coating on quality of fresh-cut Zizania latifolia

The effect of nano-chitosan coating on the quality of fresh-cut Z. latifolia was investigated. Fresh-cut Z. latifolia slices were dipped into deionised water (the control), 10 g/L chitosan or the mixture of 10 g/L chitosan and 1.5 g/L nano-chitosan for 3 min, and then dried, packaged and finally stored for 12 days at 1±0.5°C. Changes in whiteness index (WI), firmness, weight loss, lignin, reducing sugar and ascorbic acid contents, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activities were evaluated at intervals of two days. The results showed that the nano-chitosan coating significantly inhibited the decline of WI value and the increase of lignin content, maintained relatively high firmness, reducing sugars and ascorbic acid contents of fresh-cut Z. latifolia. After a 12-day storage at 1±0.5°C, the weight loss of the fresh-cut Z. latifolia slices was 1.12%. The treatment also inhibited the activities of PAL and POD but promoted SOD and CAT activities compared with the control. The present findings indicated that the nano-chitosan coating could inhibit browning and lignifacation and improve antioxidant enzymes activities, which suggested that the nano-chitosan coating had potential commercial value in controlling quality deterioration of fresh-cut Z. latifolia.