Development of grape pomace extract based edible coating for shelf life extension of pomegranate arils

In the present study, minimally processed pomegranate arils were subjected to dip coating treatment to enhance its shelf-life owing to its high perishability. Grape pomace extract was used as an antimicrobial agent and guar gum (GG) as a matrix. Plate count agar and pour plate technique were used for mesophilic bacterial counts. The microbial analysis demonstrated that the control sample had an initial microbial count of 3.3 +/- 0.17 cfu g(-1) which reached > 10(7) cfu g(-1) after 4 days of storage at 10 degrees C thus limiting its shelf-life. However, mesophilic counts of 0.5% pomace treated samples were 2.7 +/- 0.14 cfu g(-1) and it remained below < 10(6) cfu g(-1) even after storage of 6 days at 10 degrees C. Sensory attributes of treated samples were comparable to fresh arils throughout the storage period. During storage, all samples showed significant loss of moisture thus consequently increase in their firmness. After 6 days of storage 2.9 +/- 0.15 and 2.7 +/- 0.13% of moisture loss was observed for control and 0.5% treated samples, respectively. Headspace gaseous composition of arils packed tray remains constant till the end of storage which might be due to very high CO2 and O-2 permeability of GG based active film used in the present study. Antioxidant activity, ascorbic acid, anthocyanins, phenolics, and flavonoids content of arils juice remain unchanged during treatment and storage. Effectivity of grape pomace extract to enhance the shelf-life of arils was thus observed in the present study.