APPLICATION OF ALOEVERA GEL BASED EDIBLE COATING TO MAINTAIN POSTHARVEST QUALITY OF TOMATOES

( )To address the major issue of postharvest losses (20-50%) of a productive crop like tomatoes, a novel aloevera gel based edible coating was developed as postharvest treatment. The objectives of this study were to develop and optimize aloevera gel based edible coating and to study the effect of storage on physicochemical parameters related to tomato quality and safety. For this purpose, an edible coating from aloevera gel was developed, analyzed and applied to tomatoes. There were five treatments (A(0), A(20), A(40), A(60), A(80)) varying in aloevera gel concentration from 0 to 80%. Samples having different percentages of aloevera gel were analyzed for their, physiochemical, textural and microstructural parameters during storage period of 30 days at refrigerated conditions with an interval of 10 days. Control treatment (A(0)) showed rapid deterioration with an estimated shelf life of 14 days as compared to A(80) treatment with extended shelf life of 35 days. Percent weight loss, Size modification, decay percentage, color changes and decrease in firmness was higher for A(0) (control) 20, 13, 92, 31.69 and 37%, respectively, whilst the minimum in A(80) (Tomatoes coated with 80% aloevera gel) as 4, 0.4, 7.69, 19.73 and 11.46%, accordingly. A significant decrease in acidity value of control tomatoes was observed from 4.56 +/- 0.32 to 4.28 +/- 0.03 as compared to A(80). Microstructural analysis showed that coating tomatoes with coating solution having 40% aloevera gel gave uniformity and continuity on the surface of tomatoes It was concluded that aloevera gel could be an excellent edible coating material and should be used commercially as a technologically viable postharvest preservation technique for fresh produces.