Preservation of Fresh-Cut ′Maradol′ Papaya with Polymeric Nanocapsules of Lemon Essential Oil or Curcumin

Papaya is one of the most consumed fruits in the world; however, tissue damage caused by cuts quickly leads to its decay. Therefore, this study aimed to prepare and characterize lemon oil and curcumin nanocapsules to evaluate their capacity for preserving fresh-cut papaya. Lemon essential oil and curcumin nanocapsules were prepared using ethyl cellulose (EC) and poly-(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) by the emulsification-diffusion method coupled with ultrasound. The particles had sizes smaller than 120 nm, with polydispersity indices below 0.25 and zeta potentials exceeding 12 mV, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. The nanoparticles remained stable for 27 days, with sedimentation being the instabilitymechanismobserved. These nanoparticles were employed to coat fresh-cut papaya, which was stored for 17 days. The results demonstrated their remarkable efficacy in reducing the respiration rate. Furthermore, nanocapsules maintained the pH and acidity levels of the papayas for an extended period. The lemon oil/EC nanocapsule treatment retained the color better. Additionally, all systems exhibited the ability to minimize texture loss associated with reduced pectin methylesterase activity. Finally, the nanocapsules showed a notable reduction in polyphenol oxidase activity correlating with preserving total phenolic compounds in the fruit. Therefore, the lemon oil and curcumin nanoparticles formed using EC and PCL demonstrated their effectiveness in preserving fresh-cut ' Maradol ' papaya.

Automated summary

This study aimed to preserve fresh-cut papaya using lemon oil and curcumin nanocapsules. The nanoparticles were stable and had a size smaller than 120 nm. They effectively reduced the respiration rate, maintained pH and acidity levels, improved color and texture, and preserved total phenolic compounds in the fruit. Lemon oil/EC nanocapsules showed better color retention. The findings highlight the effectiveness of these nanocapsules in preserving fresh-cut 'Maradol' papaya.