Quality preservation of minimally processed pomegranate cv. Jahrom arils based on chitosan and organic acid edible coatings

The effects of chitosan (CTS), ascorbic acid (AsA), and citric acid (CtA) on quality preservation of (Punica granatum cv. "Jahrom") processed arils were investigated. The arils were immersed in aqueous solutions including water (control), CTS (0.5 and 1%), AsA (1 and 2%), and CtA (1 and 2%) and stored at 5-7 degrees C for 15 days. Results showed that AsA maintained water loss; inhibited color change, phenolic, and anthocyanin degradation; increased vitamin C; and decreased total soluble solids and titratable acidity as compared to control. The efficiency was better for AsA than CtA and thus the effect of CTS on quality safety except to protect water loss was approximately ineffective. AsA also exhibited a significantly lower decay percentage, probably due to the suppressing peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase followed by improving antioxidant power and maintaining catalase activity, which displayed that AsA exerts an antibrowning effect. Moreover, the positive effects of AsA result in getting a higher score in sensory quality at the end storage.