Aloe vera and chitosan-based coatings: a strategy to enhance quality and shelf life of fresh jujube ( <i>Ziziphus mauritiana</i> )

Horticultural crops are vital nutrient sources for people in developing countries. However, the quality of jujube degrades quickly due to its delicate nature, leading to a short shelf life. The quality of jujube degrades quickly because of its delicate nature leading to its short shelf life. This study examined the effects of Chitosan (1% & 2%) and Aloe vera (1% & 2%) based edible coatings on extending the post-harvest shelf life of jujube under both room (C1, C2, A1, & A2) and refrigerated storage conditions (CR1, CR2, AR1 & AR2). Jujubes coated with 2% chitosan (CR2) exhibited the lowest weight loss (16.33 ± 1.52 g) after 28 days at 4°C, compared to control samples (15.10 ± 1.65 g). The antioxidant activity (DPPH) decreased significantly under room temperature, from 75.53 ± 1.19% to 17.63 ± 3.96%, while refrigerated samples retained 48.00 ± 3.00%. Ascorbic acid declined by 58% at 25°C and 43% at 4°C. Coated samples also showed higher total phenolic content (124.14 ± 28.25 mg GAE/100 g) compared to uncoated samples (119.41 ± 27.67 mg GAE/100 g). The study concludes that aloe vera (2%) and chitosan (1%) coatings significantly maintain the physicochemical quality and shelf life of jujube under refrigerated storage.