Improvement in shelf life of strawberry (Fragaria x anannssa D) cv. winter dawn with edible coatings enriched with chitosan

An investigation involving the use of different chemicals (calcium chloride, carboxymethyl cellulose and chitosan) and their combinations to enhance the storage life of strawberry fruits Cv. Winter Dawn was carried out at the department of Post Harvest Technology, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalarapatan, Jhalawar (Rajasthan) in the month of February, 2015. The fruits were treated with 3 concentrations of chemicals calcium chloride and carboxymethyl cellulose (1%, 2% and 3%) and 1% concentration of chitosan were packed in “punnets” made up of polypropylene material and stored in refrigerated condition at 4 ± 1°C and 85–90 per cent relative humidity. The treatment of Carboxymethyl cellulose 2% with Chitosan 1% gave encouraging results. At the end of the storage period the minimum physiological loss in weight (8.80%), spoilage (27.80%), maximum ascorbic acid content (30.05 mg/100 g), maximum acidity (0.73%), minimum total sugars (4.67%), minimum anthocyanin content (39.42 mg/100 g) and best organoleptic score (5.67/10) was observed in Carboxymethyl cellulose 2% + Chitosan 1% treated fruits at the end of the storage period as compared to the control. Under this treatment strawberry could be stored for over 12 days (fruit still reddish in colour) compared to the control which started turning turbid yellow soon after 9 days. These treatments can be used satisfactorily by the fruit growers and the fruit merchants in order to prolong the storage life of strawberry fruits up to 12 days.