The protective effects of oleic acid‐enriched xanthan edible coating on cold injury and quality attributes of sapodilla fruit

ABSTRACT Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) is a climacteric fruit that ripens quickly and is highly perishable, making it difficult to commercialize. This study examined the effect of xanthan gum (Xan) enriched with oleic acid (ol) on chilling injury and postharvest quality of sapodilla fruit during 40 days of storage at 8 ± 1°C and 85%–90% relative humidity. The results showed that the treatments effectively controlled fruit browning, with the least browning observed in the Xan 0.1 and Xan 0.1 + Ol coatings. At the end of storage, all treatments except Xan 0.1 reduced lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage. Moreover, the fruit treated with Xan 0.1 + Ol also displayed the highest levels of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity. Additionally, the Xan 0.1 + Ol and Xan 0.1 treatments had the greatest activity of peroxidase (POD) and phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase (PAL) enzymes. Xan 0.1 + Ol had the lowest activity of the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme. Overall, the application of the Xan 0.1 + Ol coating proved to be a beneficial edible treatment for minimizing cold‐induced damage and improving the quality of stored sapodilla fruit. Generally, the use of oleic acid‐enriched xanthan gum in sapodilla fruit has significantly improved preservation and quality.