Effect of Aloe vera Gel and Gum Arabic Coating on Shelf Life and Nutrient Content of Green Capsicum ( Capsicum annuum L.)

Capsicum, a common name of Capsicum annuum L., is an annual herbaeceous plant of the Capsicum genus belonging to the Solanaceae family. India contributes to one fourth of the world production of capsicum with an average annual production of 0.9 million tons. About 1.67 million metric tonnes of capsicums was produced in India during the period of 2013-2014. Capsicums are highly perishable and harvested over a restricted period. Therefore the need for proper storage techniques arises to regulate marketing and to provide high-quality produce throughout the year. Edible coatings are thin layer of edible materials formed directly onto the surface of the food that can be eaten as part of the whole product without bringing any undesirable change in the foodstuff. Use of edible coatings as an alternative post harvest preservation technique for fruits and vegetables has been gaining an increasing interest. Green capsicum was coated with two different coatings made of gum Arabic and Aloe vera gel and were kept at refrigerated and ambient storage for a period of 25 days and were observed for the post harvest quality characteristics. It was seen that these edible coatings were found to be effective and acceptable in extending the shelf life of capsicum in both refrigerated as well as ambient conditions. However, the capsicums stored in refrigerator were found to be marketable for a long period of time. The edible coatings showed remarkable retention of nutrients during storage.