Natural wax-based edible coatings for preserving postharvest quality of mandarin orange

Mandarin oranges are susceptible to senescence and decay, primarily due to postharvest quality loss and fungal infections. This study aim to develop edible and active coatings using carnauba and shellac incorporated with carvacrol nanoemulsion (CNE), and to examine the synergistic effects of the coating on the quality parameters and shelf-life of the mandarin oranges during ambient storage. Nanoemulsion of carvacrol with average droplet size of 348.8 nm was prepared, showing a polydispersity index value of 0.211, showed excellent antifungal activities. Five coating formulations were developed and applied on the mandarin oranges. The coating containing 2 %, <i>v</i>/v CNE exhibited the lowest weight loss (19.23 %), maintaining highest firmness (12.06 N), and total soluble solids of 16.1°Brix, and a titratable acidity of 1.56 % even after 30 days of storage. The application of the coating on the mandarin oranges-maintained quality up to 30 days doubling the shelf-life in the ambient.