Influence of encapsulated peppermint essential oil on postharvest quality of Solanum lycopersicum cv. Santiago F1

ABSTRACT

The cherry tomato is a nutritious product commonly used in salads or consumed as a dietary supplement. However, improper storage after harvesting can lead to a decrease in its quality and shelf-life. In this study, we aimed to assess the effects of free essential oil of Mentha × Piperita L. and solid lipid nanoparticles containing free essential oil at concentrations of 0.025%, 0.05%, 0.075%, 0.1%, and 0.2% on the microbial load and post-harvest quality of Solanum lycopersicum cv. Santiago F1 during 28 days of storage at 8°C. Fruits coated with solid lipid nanoparticles containing essential oil at 0.075%, 0.1%, and 0.2% maintained their quality attributes, including firmness at approximately 50%, ascorbic acid at about 80%, phenolic compounds, color parameters, antioxidant activity at around 71%, and sensory properties compared to the control groups or fruits treated with free essential oil of Mentha × Piperita L. This coating also effectively suppressed cellulase and polyphenol oxidase activity, reducing microbial load and weight loss percentages to under 10%. However, it’s important to note that fruits coated with free essential oil of Mentha × Piperita L. at 0.1% and 0.2% showed visible tissue damage. Our research demonstrated that the combination of solid lipid nanoparticles and free essential oil of Mentha × Piperita L. resulted in a decrease in microbial load, an extension of shelf-life, and improvements in the quality characteristics of cherry tomato fruits.

KEYWORDS:

• Cold storage
• Fruit quality
• Mentha × Piperita essential oil
• Solanum lycopersicum cv. Santiago F1
• Solid lipid nanoparticles

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express their sincere appreciation to the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in Iran (sponsorship No. 3/47901) for their assistance with financial matters and the provision of required equipment. The findings of this study are derived from certain sections of the first author’s Ph.D. thesis.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad [3/47901].