Keywords:Minimally processed persimmon Edible coatings Antimicrobial agents Sensory and microbial quality Food-borne human pathogens Shelf life A B S T R A C TThe aim of this study was to develop new edible coatings based on apple pectin with a combination of antioxidants and antimicrobial agents to control enzymatic browning and microbial growth of fresh-cut 'Rojo Brillante' persimmon. The survival of important food-borne human pathogens artificially inoculated on fresh-cut fruit was also assessed. Potassium sorbate (PS) at 2 or 4 g kg À1 , sodium benzoate (SB) at 4 g kg À1 , or nisin (NI) at 500 IU mL À1 , were added to apple pectin coatings containing 10 g kg À1 citric acid and 10 g kg À1 calcium chloride as antioxidants. Persimmon slices were dipped in the coatings, the aqueous antioxidant solution (citric acid and calcium chloride) or water (control), packed in an ambient atmosphere and stored at 5 C for up to 9 days. Microbial growth, colour, firmness, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, visual quality and overall sensory flavour were measured during storage. Coated samples and those dipped in the antioxidant aqueous solution presented lower a* values than control samples, which indicated effective browning inhibition. Persimmon slices treated with coatings containing PS and SB reached the limit of marketability after 7 days of storage. At the end of storage, the overall fruit flavour was ranked above the limit of acceptability. Antimicrobial coatings inhibited growth of mesophilic aerobic bacteria, and those containing SB and NI were the most effective. No growth of moulds, yeasts and psychrophilic aerobic bacteria was detected during storage. All the treatments effectively reduced the populations of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis, NI-coating being the most effective. For Listeria monocytogenes, only the NIcoating effectively reduced the bacterial population.

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The combination of the pectin-based edible coating and active MAP proved to be the most effective treatment to maintain the sensory and microbiological quality of persimmon slices for more than 9 days of storage. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

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To prevent enzymatic browning of fresh-cut 'Rojo Brillante' persimmon, different combinations of ascorbic acid (AA) and citric acid (CA) with calcium chloride (CaCl) were tested in fruit harvested at two maturity stages (MS1 and MS2). Color, firmness, sensory quality, total vitamin C, radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content, and carotenoids were evaluated over nine days of storage at 5 ℃. Antibrowning dips reduced enzymatic browning if compared with the control samples. Selecting fruits with good firmness and the addition of 10 g/l CaCl help prevent loss of firmness of fresh-cut "Rojo Brillante" persimmons treated with acidic solutions as antibrowning agents to control enzymatic browning. The limit of marketability of the persimmon fruit processed at MS1 was significantly reduced by the burst of the disorder known as "flesh browning," and only the samples treated with 10 g/l CA + 10 g/l CaCl maintained a limit of marketability close to seven days. At MS2, all the antibrowning solutions allowed a limit of marketability of seven storage days at 5 ℃. Nutritional quality was not affected by either antibrowning dips or cutting processes, but MS at harvest was.

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