Postharvest quality of purple passion fruit in packaging alone or combined with fungicide and wax during ripening under ambient conditions

• Combining packaging with wax and fungicide effectively extends passion fruit shelf life. • FWP treatment best preserved passion fruit quality during 21-day storage at 20°C. • Color, firmness, and juice quality were better retained in packaging-based treatments. • Non-packaged fruit showed higher TSS, TA, phenolics, but faster deterioration. • Multivariate analysis linked OC, W, and F treatments to greater quality deterioration Purple passion fruit ( Passiflora edulis f. edulis) is highly perishable and often stored at ambient temperature, which accelerates quality loss. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different postharvest treatments on the physicochemical and biochemical quality of ‘Possum Purple’ passion fruit during 21 days of storage at simulated ambient conditions (20°C). Treatments included open container (OC), carnauba wax coating (W), perforated plastic packaging (P), carnauba wax + packaging (WP), fungicide dipping (F), fungicide + wax (FW), fungicide + packaging (FP), and a combination of fungicide, wax, and packaging (FWP). After 21 days, results showed that non-packaged or unwaxed fruit (OC and F treatments) experienced the highest weight loss and shriveling, along with a rapid decline in firmness. In contrast, packaging-based treatments, especially FWP, effectively maintained fruit weight, reduced shriveling, and preserved firmness. Non-packaged treatments (OC, W, F) showed higher total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), total phenolic content (TPC), and total antioxidant activity (TAA), but showed greater physical quality deterioration. The TSS/TA ratio and pH increased over time, with F, FW, and FP treatments showing the highest final ratios. Color parameters of both peel and juice were better preserved in packaging-based treatments. Overall, based on multivariate statistical analyses, the application of packaging alone or in combination with fungicide and wax proved most effective in preserving the fruit quality of passion fruit during storage by reducing physiological deterioration and maintaining key nutritional attributes.