Edible coating from chitosan, corn starch and orange peel oil: a bioactive approach for extending the shelf‐life of tomatoes (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i>) under real‐time conditions

Abstract Tomatoes ( Solanum lycopersicum ) have high nutritional value and are widely used in various culinary dishes. However, being climacteric, they are susceptible to microbial decay, mechanical damage and short shelf‐life leading to post‐harvest losses. In this regard, an edible coating can be a promising, eco‐friendly and sustainable option to control the post‐harvest losses while preserving quality attributes. Therefore, we report here an edible coating derived using a ‘waste to wealth strategy’ to enhance the shelf‐life of tomatoes. A CT/OP coating made using chitosan (CTS):corn starch (CS) 2.5%:1% w/w, orange peel oil (OPO) 2% v/v and glycerol 0.5% v/v can enhance the shelf‐life of tomatoes for 14 days under real‐time conditions (25 to 31 °C and relative humidity 40% to 77% variation in 24 h on all days) without compromising the quality attributes. Various physicochemical characterisations (viscosity 31.1 mPa S, density 1.004, pH 4.02, particle size 270 nm, zeta potential 11.5 mV, refractive index 1.335, contact angle 64.92°, surface tension 0.040 N m −1 , wettability −0.0235 N m −1 ) deemed the CT/OP coating fit for application on tomatoes. The absence of alpha toxins and heavy metals confirmed its non‐toxicity and biocompatibility. The CT/OP coating acted as a semipermeable membrane on tomatoes helping in delayed senescence due to controlled respiration rate, thereby promoting reduction in weight loss and decay percentage, and delay in lycopene, ascorbic acid and total soluble solids content in coated tomatoes compared to control tomatoes. Thus, CT/OP edible coating can be a sustainable alternative to chemical preservative for enhancing the shelf‐life of fresh produce like tomatoes. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.