Enhancing post-harvest quality of date palm fruits through green-synthesized silver nanoparticle-based coatings

Post-harvest losses in date palm due to physiological, microbiological and biochemical changes affect their nutritional and sensory characteristics. The current study introduces sustainable and novel approach by utilizing green synthesized silver nanoparticle-based coatings to enhance the shelf life of date palm fruits. In addition, other coatings (Lemon peel oil and Corn starch-based coatings) were also applied on date palm fruit for comparison purpose. After the application of coatings, the date palm fruits were evaluated for various physicochemical parameters over a period of 60-day storage. The findings indicated that the application of AgNPs in different concentrations (0.02 mg/L, 0.03 mg/L, and 0.04 mg/L) effectively maintained the shelf life of date palm as compared with other coating materials and control. After two-month storage, silver nanoparticle-based coatings significantly reduced weight loss (3.89 ± 0.19%) and total soluble solids (61.82 ± 0.54%) as compared with other treatments. In addition, fruit firmness (2.68 ± 0.06 N/mm), total phenolic content (144.47 ± 2.87 mgGAE/100 g), total flavonoid content (107.09 ± 3.1 mgCE/100 g), tannins (40.65 ± 0.3 mg/100 g) and DPPH (65.54 ± 1.03%) was well preserved in samples treated with T3 (0.04 mg/L AgNPs). Overall results showed that T3 (0.04 mg/L AgNPs) has performed best compared with other treatments. Silver nanoparticle-based coatings can reduce the postharvest losses of date palm fruits effectively. The findings also suggested that silver nanoparticle-based coatings may have potential application for others fruits to minimized the post-harvest losses.