Application of Gum Arabic and Methyl Cellulose Coatings Enriched with Thyme Oil to Maintain Quality and Extend Shelf Life of “Acco” Pomegranate Arils
Tatenda Gift Kawhena | Alemayehu Ambaw Tsige | Umezuruike Linus Opara | Olaniyi Amos Fawole
The effects of gum arabic (GA; 1.5% <i>w/v</i>) and methyl cellulose (MC; 1% <i>w/v</i>) enriched with thyme oil (TO; 0.25 and 0.5% <i>v/v</i>) on the quality of “Acco” pomegranate arils were studied. Coating treatments, namely, MC, MC + TO<sub>0.5%</sub>, MC + TO<sub>0.25%</sub>, GA, GA + TO<sub>0.5%</sub> and GA + TO<sub>0.25%</sub> were applied on arils by dipping, and evaluations were made on physicochemical and microbiological quality, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity of arils stored (5 ± 1 °C, 95 ± 2% RH) for 16 days. Dipping arils in GA or MC, both containing TO (0.5% <i>v/v</i>) significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.0001) reduced weight loss and enhanced antioxidant activity (FRAP) (<i>p</i> = 0.0014). However, dipping arils in GA combined with TO (0.25% <i>v/v</i>) had the highest influence on reducing aril respiration rate compared with other treatments. Overall, results showed that application of coatings (GA + TO<sub>0.5%</sub> and GA + TO<sub>0.25%</sub>) reduced total yeast and mould and total plate counts and maintained quality up to 8 days of storage. These findings suggest that either GA + TO<sub>0.5%</sub> or GA + TO<sub>0.25%</sub> coatings have the capability to extend storage life of “Acco” pomegranate arils.
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