Application and toxicological study of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) coating on lemon (Citrus limon L.) fruit to extend the shelf life

The objective of the present study is to examine how different concentrations of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) coating (2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%, 10.0%, and 12.5%) affect the quality of lemons during storage at (27 ± 2)°C, with the aim of extending their shelf life. Lemons are known for being a rich source of citric acid, ascorbic acid, and dietary fiber. During the study, the coated lemons were regularly assessed for various parameters such as weight loss, respiration rate, firmness, decay incidence, total soluble solids, pH, ascorbic acid, and juice content. The results revealed that lemons coated with 10.0% and 12.5% concentrations of PVAc exhibited a significant (P < 0.05) impact in reducing the respiration rate, ethylene production rate, weight loss, and maintaining firmness compared to the control sample. Furthermore, the study also investigated the potential acute toxicological and histological effects of the PVAc (12.5%) coated sample on mice. The results indicated that there were no harmful or lethal effects observed in the experimental mice. Therefore, the PVAc coating at concentrations of 10.0% and 12.5% proves to be beneficial in preserving the natural color of lemons and minimizing senescence during storage at (27 ± 2)°C.