Effects of Edible Coatings on Quality and Antioxidant Activity of Zizyphus Jujuba Miller cv. Dongzao During Storage

The development of edible coatings has been lauded with respect to their safety and effectiveness. In this study, we researched the effects of edible coatings (2% CaCl2, 1% chitosan and 1% pullulan) on the nutrient content and antioxidant abilities of jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Miller cv. Dongzao). Using the new analysis technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), we evaluated the effects of these coatings. Compared with the control fruit group, test results showed that coating treatment significantly delayed fruit senescence. Specifically, CaCl2 treatment not only maintained fruit storage quality and antioxidant activity but also restrained the production and accumulation of malondialdehyde in jujube. Chitosan treatment delayed decreases in secondary metabolites and superoxide dismutase and catalase activity. Pullulan coatings performed better in terms of proanthocyanidin and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). We also used TOPSIS to evaluate the preservation effect of different film coatings and found 2% CaCl2 to be the best treatment for jujube, followed by 1% chitosan and 1% pullulan. Based on the appropriate materials and concentration of the film coatings, edible coatings have the potential to retain the quality and antioxidant capacity of the Chinese jujube cv. Dongzao. © 2016, Tianjin University and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.