Edible Coatings Based on Apple Pectin, Cellulose Nanocrystals, and Essential Oil of Lemongrass: Improving the Quality and Shelf Life of Strawberries (Fragaria Ananassa)

In this work, nine different types of edible coating based on pectin, cellulose nanocrystals, glycerol, and essential oil of lemongrass were prepared and used to coat strawberries with a film formed directly on the surface of the coated fruit. The effects of the different edible coatings on refrigerated fruits in terms of weight loss, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, pH, and anthocyanin content was evaluated after 2 days, 4 days, 6 days, and 8 days of storage. Application of the edible coatings reduced the weight loss of the coated strawberries and the anthocyanin content. The total soluble solids content of or uncoated fruit increase more markedly than that of coated fruit. In contrast, pH was maintained for both coated and uncoated strawberries. The edible coatings were effective in minimizing of the weight loss, without worsening the physical chemistry attributes. The treatments T5 and T9 presented the best results.