Utilization of lima bean starch as an edible coating base material for sapota fruit shelf-life enhancement

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of starches extracted from lima bean seeds and pods as novel edible coating materials for the preservation of sapota fruits. The sapota fruits were subjected to lima bean (seed and pod) starch coatings at various concentrations followed by storage under ambient condition for 20 days. The results exhibited significant differences (p <= 0.05) amongst the coated sapota fruits and the control samples for all the physiochemical parameters. The Ambient Seed Starch Coated Sapota 5% (ASCS5%) and Ambient Seed Starch Coated ASCS7% samples exhibited, lowest percentage of weight loss (15.28%) and total soluble solids (TSS) as 15.2 degrees Brix, respectively. While the ASCS7% sample found the highest titratable acidity (TA) as 0.49 g/100 g and vitamin C content as 9.88 mg/100 g. In case of coated and control fruits the first-order kinetics followed by the weight loss%, vitamin C content, TA, firmness and TSS reduction trends were observed. However, the reaction rate constant was found to be lowest in the coated sample as compared to the control sample. The results indicate that the use of lima bean seed starch would serve as a potential coating material for sapota fruit compared to lima bean pod starch.