Effects of different molecular weights of chitosan coatings on postharvest qualities of 'Nam Dok Mai' mango.
Ampaichaichok P., Rojsitthisak P., Seraypheap K.
Author Affiliation: Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
International Proceedings of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering (IPCBEE) 77 : 16-20
Abstract : The effects of varying molecular weights of chitosan and storage time of chitosan solutions on postharvest quality of 'Nam Dok Mai' mango fruit were investigated. Chitosan coating solutions were prepared from low Mw (65,000 Da=LM-CTS), medium Mw (240,000 Da=MM-CTS) and high Mw (410,000 Da=HM-CTS). Coating solutions were separated into 2 groups: freshly prepared and 14-days stored solutions. Mango fruits coated with 14-days stored chitosan coating solutions had higher disease incidences and lower postharvest qualities compared to those coated with freshly prepared solutions. Among the freshly prepared solutions, freshly prepared MM-CTS showed the best results, in term of longer shelf life, fewer disease incidences and delayed ripening characteristics. In conclusion, our results suggest that freshly prepared MM-CTS solution can be used as an effective coating agent for the extension of 'Nam Dok Mai' mango's shelf life.