Preservation of Harvested Strawberry Fruits by Edible oil Coating Mixed with Aloe vera gel at Room Temperature

Abstract

Strawberries are very unique, Rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and fiber, they offer significant healthbenefits and are a low-calorie treat. They are grown all over the world, have great economic significance, and are symbolic of love and purity in culture. Their adaptability in the kitchen and use of sustainable farming methods increase their value internationally. Therefore, this study is aimed to determine how aloe vera gel and edible oil coating work together to increase the shelf life of harvested strawberry fruit that is kept at room temperature. Two types of oil (Coconut oil and Corn oil) were selected for this study and the experiments were done by changing the Aloe Vera addition as 5olo, I}oh and 15o2, where not coated strawberries were kept outside as controlled sample and maintained the room temperature Q20C) throughout the experiments. Cumulative Weight Loss (CWL), pH, Brix value and Hardness were tested as the performance parameters for every 1", 3d, 5th and 7tt' day, and also sensory evaluation of coated strawberries carried out by using 7-point hedonic scale. On the 7th day the weight loss is high for controlled sample (0.359) compared to all the coated samples, in which 10o/o addrtion of Aloe Vera to coconut oil (0.269) and 5oh addition of Aloe Vera to com oil (0.169) is resulted in considerable weight loss compared to other coated samples. An abnrl,'t increase in the pH is observed for the coated strawberries and negatively correlated (-0.74) with number of days, ranged between 3.0 - 5.0 for almost all the coated strawberries. Even though it is ideal to eat, flavor profile may vary. Strawberries coated with 5o/o of Aloe Vera with coconut oil stand significant with high brix value compared with other coated samples, which is preferable. It was noted that the hardness of the samples negatively (-0.86) correlated with the brix value, therefore identifying an optirnum is inevitable. The strawberries coated with corn oil resulted a high hardness compared to coconut oil coated samples, where 5oh and 15% Aloe Vera added coconut oil coated strawberries are resulted approximately same hardness as the controlled sample. Overall Coated using coconut oil is more preferable in which addition of 5o/o Aloe Vera is appropriate in terms of all the quality.