Aloe arborescens and Aloe vera gels as coatings in delaying postharvest ripening in peach and plum fruit

Recently harvested peaches and plums were coated with either Aloe vera or Aloe arborescens gels and allowed to ripen at 20 degrees C for six days. Both coatings significantly delayed ethylene production, the effect being higher in plum which had the highest ethylene production rates. Changes in quality parameters related to peach and plum postharvest ripening, such as colour changes, reduction of acidity and increasing in ripening index (total soluble solids/total acidity ratio), were significantly delayed in coated fruit. In addition, both coatings significantly reduced weight loss, especially the A. arborescens gel. Thus, A. arborescens gel could be even more effective than A. vera gel for use as an edible coating for preserving the quality of climacteric fruit. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.