Chitosan Coating Maintains Postharvest Quality and Extends Shelf Life of Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus spp.)

Abstract

Although dragon fruit is gaining popularity worldwide, its postharvest management remains a major challenge due to rapid quality deterioration under ambient conditions. This study investigated the effect of chitosan coating on the postharvest quality and shelf life of three dragon fruit varieties (pink-, white-, and yellowfleshed) using four concentrations of chitosan solution (control, 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5%) in a Completely Randomized Design with three replications. Significant variations were observed in physico-chemical parameters, including weight loss, firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, vitamin C, total flavonoid and carotenoid contents, antioxidant activity, and shelf life. At 9 days after storage, pinkfleshed fruits coated with 0.5% chitosan exhibited the best quality attributes—lowest weight loss (3.2%), lowest TSS (10.67 °Brix), and highest firmness, vitamin C, flavonoid, carotenoid, and antioxidant levels—resulting in a shelf life extension to approximately 17 days, compared to 9 days in uncoated fruits. The findings highlight the novel use of 0.5% chitosan as a natural, biodegradable coating for maintaining the quality of dragon fruits under ambient storage, offering a practical and sustainable alternative for postharvest management where cold storage facilities are limited