Maintaining postharvest quality of tomato fruits through biopolymer coatings of chitosan and carboxymethyl cellulose

Abstract Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a widely consumed vegetable known for its taste and nutritional value, but it faces significant postharvest losses. This study evaluated the effects of various coating methods using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) at levels of 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1%, and chitosan (CS) at 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%, alongside untreated and water-washed controls, on the physicochemical properties of postharvest tomatoes during storage. Significant differences were observed in fruit weight loss, firmness, lycopene content, total phenols, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) levels, vitamin C content, and pH across the treatments over 40 days. Notably, the 1.5% CS treatment was the most effective, resulting in a 35% reduction in weight loss, 20% higher firmness, and significantly increased lycopene and vitamin C levels compared to controls. CMC treatments also reduced weight loss but were less effective in maintaining firmness and antioxidant levels. Overall, CS coatings demonstrated superior benefits in preserving fruit quality, indicating their potential as effective postharvest treatments.