Sains Malaysiana 47(2)(2018): 287-294

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2018-4702-10

Effect of Chitosan Coating on Chilling Injury, Antioxidant Status and Postharvest Quality of Japanese Cucumber during Cold Storage

(Kesan Perlakuan Bahan Salut Kitosan ke atas Kecederaan Sejuk, Status Antioksidan dan Kualiti Lepas Tuai Timun Jepun semasa Penyimpanan Suhu Rendah)

Nur Fatin Afifah Hashim¹, Azhane Ahmad^1,2* & Paa Kwesi Bordoh¹

¹School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus

43500 Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²School of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia

Received: 3 January 2017/Accepted: 17 July 2017

ABSTRACT

Japanese cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) could easily develop chilling injury when held at 7^oC or below, thus limiting its storability and reduces consumer preference. Chitosan coating is known to be one of the methods used for preserving perishable fresh produce. This work was extended out to look into the efficacy of low molecular weight (LMW) chitosan coatings on chilling injury (CI), antioxidant levels and shelf life quality of Japanese cucumber. Fruit were coated with 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% chitosan prior to cold storage at 7^oC and 90-95% relative humidity (RH) for 12 days. The result showed that fruit coated with lowest concentration of chitosan (0.5%) was the most effective in alleviating chilling injury symptoms and reduced the increase of lipid peroxidation (MDA content) compared to higher concentrations (1.0 and 1.5%). Furthermore, when Japanese cucumbers were coated with 0.5% chitosan, it was able to maintain the postharvest quality and storability with higher firmness and delayed increase of weight loss. On the other hand, cucumber coated with 1.5% chitosan demonstrated high level of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) activities than in 0.5 and 1.0% chitosan. This finding suggests a role for chitosan coating in alleviating oxidative stress that would lead to CI problems during cold storage.

Keywords: Antioxidant enzyme activity; chilling tolerance; chitosan; postharvest quality

ABSTRAK

Fenomena kecederaan sejuk (KS) seringkali berlaku ke atas timun Jepun (Cucumis sativus L.) yang disimpan pada suhu 7^oC atau lebih rendah, sekaligus mengehadkan hayat simpanan di samping mempengaruhi kualiti buah untuk diterima oleh pengguna. Bahan salut kitosan dikenali sebagai salah satu kaedah lepas tuai yang digunakan untuk mengekalkan kualiti buah daripada mudah rosak. Kajian ini dijalankan untuk mengkaji keberkesanan bahan salut kitosan yang berberat molekul rendah ke atas kecederaan sejuk (KS), aktiviti antioksidan dan kualiti hayat simpanan timun Jepun. Buah diberikan perlakuan bahan salut kitosan dengan kepekatan 0.5, 1.0 dan 1.5% dan disimpan pada suhu rendah 7^oC dengan kelembapan relatif 90-95% selama 12 hari. Keputusan kajian menunjukkan buah yang disalut dengan kepekatan kitosan paling rendah (0.5%) berupaya mengaleviasi simptom KS dan menindas aras peningkatan peroksidaan lipid (kandungan MDA) secara signifikan berbanding kitosan pada kepekatan lebih tinggi (1.0 dan 1.5%). Perlakuan 0.5% kitosan juga berupaya memelihara kualiti timun Jepun, memanjangkan hayat simpanan dengan memperlahankan kemerosotan ketegaran dan kehilangan berat. Sebaliknya, buah yang disalut kitosan pada kepekatan 1.5% menunjukkan aktiviti enzim katalase (CAT) dan askorbat peroksidase (APX) yang lebih tinggi berbanding buah yang disalut dengan 0.5 dan 1.0% kitosan. Keputusan kajian ini mencadangkan perlakuan bahan salut kitosan berupaya mengurangkan kepayahan oksidatif yang dipercayai menyebabkan masalah KS semasa penyimpanan suhu rendah.

Kata kunci: Aktiviti antioksidan enzimatik; kitosan; kualiti lepas tuai; toleransi kecederaan sejuk

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*Corresponding author; email: azhane_ahmad@yahoo.com.my