Application of bioactive chitosan-based coatings with marine antagonists to control postharvest Persian lime decay caused by Penicillium italicum

ABSTRACT A novel edible coating with marine yeast in chitosan matrix was prepared. The biocompatibility of yeast cell incorporation of developed coatings was evaluated in terms of viability. Furthermore, the application of chitosan-based coatings was investigated in order to evaluate their efficacy to preserve postharvest quality and prevent fungal establishment of Penicillium italicum during storage under refrigeration. Results revealed that commercial chitosan as a matrix is compatible with Debaryomyces hansenii by maintaining 100% viability of the initial inoculum using chitosan at 0.5%. Preventive application of chitosan combined with the antagonistic yeast was more effective for controlling fungus infection than individual treatments of chitosan and yeast, showing an additive effect. Chitosan concentration had an impact on pH, TSS, acidity, and colour values. Further, the addition of yeast improved the barrier properties of coatings. This study demonstrates the potential application of chitosan-based coatings with antagonistic yeast D. hansenii for Persian lime quality maintenance as well as an effective alternative against blue mould disease.