Effect of a pectin edible coating with lemon peel extract to maintain strawberry fruit's quality during cold storage

This study aims to analyze the effect of lemon peel extract-enriched edible coating on strawberry fruit quality (physical, chemical, and sensory properties) under cold storage of 4 ºC for 12 days. Pectin-based edible coatings were added by 0, 1.5, 3, and 4.5 wt% lemon peel extract (LPE). The study was designed using a completely randomized design. Physical properties include weight loss, color, firmness, decay percentage, and total soluble solids. The chemical properties were determined by analyzing pH, antioxidant activities, total phenolic and anthocyanin contents, and vitamin C. The results showed that adding 3 % LPE to edible coatings reduced 1.19 % weight loss (p = .593^ns) and decreased 34 % decay percentage (p < .001^**), maintained the lightness (p < .001^**) and color of strawberries (p < .001^**), and deteriorated the softening process (p = .003^**) in strawberries during the storage period. Moreover, the treatment also shows 0.03 % higher antioxidant activity (p = .494^ns), 1.25 % higher total phenolic (p = .012*), and maintains anthocyanin contents (p = .077^ns), and 5.9 % higher vitamin C (p = .002^**) compared to the control sample^. This work contributes to improving the fruits’ sensory properties (p < .001^**) during the storage period and has the potential to significantly enhance the food industry by introducing a new and beneficial use of LPE in edible coatings.