Prevalence of fungi in fresh tomatoes and their control by chitosan and sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) peel essential oil coating

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Fungal contamination is a major cause of food spoilage. There is an urgent need to find and characterize natural preservatives. This study evaluates the prevalence of fungi in tomatoes and their control by using essential oil (EO) from sweet orange peel. Essential oils were extracted from dried and fresh sweet orange peels by using n-hexane and ethanol as extraction solvents. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses were performed to identify the chemical composition of the EO. A combination of chitosan (CS) and EO was used to control the fungal decay of tomatoes inoculated with Aspergillus niger and Penicillium citrinum.RESULTS: Tomatoes obtained from local markets and supermarkets showed a high prevalence of Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. Essential oils extracted by ethanol from dried peels showed complete inhibition of A. niger and P. citrinum and hyphal degradation at a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 100 ∼L mL −1 . The combination of EO with chitosan (2%) as a coating, effectively controlled the fungal decay of tomatoes until the eighth day of storage at 25 °C.CONCLUSION: Due to their edible nature, and their antifungal and preservative potential, EO-and CS-based coatings can be used to extend the shelf life of tomatoes and other agriculture commodities. Essential oil-and CS-based coating can be used as alternative to synthetic preservatives, which are associated with various health hazards.

Additive with a tendency to synergy interaction between <i>Citrus aurantium</i> essential oil and fluconazole against <i>Aspergillus niger</i>

“…Działanie przeciwgrzybicze olejków eterycznych wynika z ich zdolności przenikania przez błony komórkowe mikroorganizmów, co powoduje wyciek jonów i zaburzenie struktury komórkowej. Olejki eteryczne wykazują również potencjał antyoksydacyjny ze względu na ich zdolność do neutralizowania wolnych rodników [45].…”

“…Olejek eteryczny z Citrus sinensis, ekstrahowany n-heksanem w dawce 200 μl/ml, hamował wzrost Aspergillus niger w 45%, natomiast olejek ekstrahowany etanolem już w dawce 100 μl/ml pożywki hamował całkowicie wzrost A. niger [45]. W innym badaniu określono, że dawka 3,0 μg/ml olejku eterycznego pomarańczowego z Citrus sinensis hamuje całkowicie rozwój grzyba Aspergillus niger po 7-dniowej inkubacji na podłożu PDA z dodatkiem 0,5% Tween 80.…”

Potential applications and limitations of edible coatings for maintaining tomato quality and shelf life

“…Study confirmed that edible coating developed from the combination of chitosan and sweet orange peel essential oil has restricted the growth of Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi on fresh tomato. (Sheikh et al, 2021). Edible nano laminate coating with the extracts of F. cernua was reported to be effective in inhibiting the propagation of moulds, yeasts and aerobic to mesophilic microorganisms in tomato fruit (Salas-M endez et al, 2019).…”

“…Study confirmed that edible coating developed from the combination of chitosan and sweet orange peel essential oil has restricted the growth of Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi on fresh tomato. (Sheikh et al ., 2021). Edible nano laminate coating with the extracts of F .…”

Applications of lemon or cinnamon essential oils in strawberry fruit preservation: A review

“…Essential oils are extracts from plants and have gained in popularity for their potential applications in food (Sheikh et al, 2021). Indeed, consumers have gained interest in natural and minimally processed food, inciting the food industry to consider using natural products as preservatives.…”