Effectiveness of Aloe vera gel coating for maintaining tomato fruit quality

Figures & data

Table 1. Effect of A. vera coating on tomato fruit decay during storage (11 ^oC, 90% RH).

	Fruit decay
	0 d	7 d	14 d
Control	1.00 ± 0.00*	1.16 ± 0.11a	2.25 ± 0.21A
5% A. vera		1.08 ± 0.08a	2.16 ± 0.20A
10% A. vera		1.00 ± 0.00a	1.08 ± 0.08B
15% A. vera		1.00 ± 0.00a	1.00 ± 0.00B
20% A. vera		1.00 ± 0.00a	1.00 ± 0.00B

The degree of infection on fruit was rated using a scale of 1 to 5 (1 – clean, no infection; 2 – trace infection; 3 – slight infection; 4 – moderate infection; 5 – severe infection).

Values represent the mean of evaluation made on 12 independent fruit per treatment per storage period. Values followed by the same letter in each column do not differ significantly (P < 0.05).

Figure 1. Respiration rate (A) and ethylene emission (B) during storage (11 °C, 90% RH) of control and A. vera-coated tomatoes. Values are the means of six samples (n = 6) per treatment and storage period. Values followed by the same letter in each column do not differ significantly (P < 0.05). * or ns indicate significance or not, respectively, among controls through storage period.

Figure 2. Effect of A. vera coating on fruit weight loss (A) and firmness (B) of tomatoes during storage (11 °C, 90% RH). Values are the means of six samples (n = 6) per treatment and storage period. Values followed by the same letter in each column do not differ significantly (P < 0.05). * or ns indicate significance or not, respectively, among controls through storage period.

Table 2. Effect of A. vera coating on fruit total soluble solids (TSS, in ^oBrix), titratable acidity (TA, in % citric acid) and ripening index (TSS/TA ratio) during storage (11 ^oC, 90% RH).

	TSS			TA			TSS/TA
	0 d	7 d	14 d	0 d	7 d	14 d	0 d	7 d	14 d
Control	3.91 ± 0.27 ns	3.60 ± 0.17a	3.51 ± 0.20A	0.55 ± 0.05ns	0.46 ± 0.05a	0.58 ± 0.05A	8.44 ± 1.35ns	8.35 ± 0.90a	6.94 ± 1.05A
5% A. vera		3.23 ± 0.21ab	3.30 ± 0.09A		0.44 ± 0.04a	0.37 ± 0.02A		7.75 ± 1.14a	8.97 ± 0.45A
10% A. vera		2.76 ± 0.15b	3.55 ± 0.22A		0.51 ± 0.07a	0.41 ± 0.03A		6.25 ± 0.63b	8.91 ± 0.85A
15% A. vera		2.87 ± 0.21b	3.38 ± 0.36A		0.37 ± 0.03a	0.49 ± 0.13A		7.99 ± 0.63a	9.63 ± 1.05A
20% A. vera		3.05 ± 0.15ab	3.12 ± 0.35A		0.41 ± 0.03a	0.38 ± 0.06A		7.67 ± 0.62a	8.65 ± 1.12A

Values represent the mean of measurements made on six independent samples (pooled of two fruits) per treatment and storage period. Values followed by the same letter in each column do not differ significantly (P < 0.05). * or ns indicate significance or not, respectively, among controls through storage period.

Figure 3. Effect of A. vera coating on β-carotene (nmol g⁻¹ f Fwt) (A), lycopene (nmol g⁻¹ Fwt) (B) and ascorbic acid (mg g^-1 Fwt) (CSBOLDSTARTCCSBOLDEND) content in tomato fruit during storage (11 ^oC, 90% RH). Values are the means of six pooled samples (n = 6) per treatment and storage period. Values followed by the same letter in each column do not differ significantly (P < 0.05). * Or ns indicate significance or not, respectively, among controls through storage period.

Figure 4. Effect of A. vera coating on total phenols content (GAE μmol g⁻¹ Fwt) (CSBOLDSTARTACSBOLDEND) and antioxidant activity (mg trolox g^-1 Fwt) (B, C) in tomato fruit during storage (11 °C, 90% RH). Values are the means of six pooled samples (n = 6) per treatment and storage period. Values followed by the same letter in each column do not differ significantly (P < 0.05). *Or ns indicate significance or not, respectively, among controls through storage period.