Postharvest pathogens such as C. gloeosporioides (MA), C.oxysporum (ME) and P. steckii (MF) are the causal agents of disease in mangoes. This paper presents an in vitro investigation into the antifungal effect of a chitosan (CTS)/nano-titanium dioxide (TiO₂) composite coating against MA, ME and MF. The results indicated that, the rates of MA, ME and MF mortality following the single chitosan treatment were 63.3%, 84.8% and 43.5%, respectively, while the rates of mycelial inhibition were 84.0%, 100% and 25.8%, respectively. However, following the addition of 0.5% nano-TiO₂ into the CTS, both the mortality and mycelial inhibition rates for MA and ME reached 100%, and the mortality and mycelial inhibition rate for MF also increased significantly, reaching 75.4% and 57.3%, respectively. In the MA, the dry weight of mycelia after the CTS/0.5% nano-TiO₂ treatment decreased by 36.3% in comparison with the untreated group, while the conductivity value was about 1.7 times that of the untreated group, and the protein dissolution rate and extravasation degree of nucleic acids also increased significantly. Thus, this research revealed the potential of CTS/nano-TiO₂ composite coatings in the development of new antimicrobial materials.

This study investigated the effect of edible coating (EC), modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and edible coating + modified atmosphere packaging (EC + MAP) treatments on the quality of fresh-cut pineapples during storage at 4 °C. The quality differences were analyzed by measuring the quality, physiological indicators, and total microbial counts. After 8 d of storage, the brightness (L*) values of the EC + MAP and control samples were 72.76 and 60.83, respectively. The water loss and respiratory rate of the EC + MAP were significantly inhibited from 0% and 29.33 mg CO₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ to 4.13% and 43.84 mg CO₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. Furthermore, the fresh-cut pineapples treated with EC + MAP presented a good appearance, with lower total soluble solids (TSS) and relative conductivity and higher titratable acid (TA), ascorbic acid (AA), total phenol content, and firmness compared to the other treatment groups. At the end of storage, the EC + MAP samples exhibited the lowest polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, peroxidase (POD) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content at 28.53 U, 60.37 U, and 1.47 nmol·g⁻¹, respectively. Furthermore, the efficiency of EC + MAP treatment exceeded that of EC or MAP alone, preventing key problems involving the surface browning and microbiological safety of the fresh-cut pineapples. The results showed that EC + MAP treatment was more successful in maintaining the storage quality and extending the shelf life of fresh-cut pineapples.

This study compared the quality and storage characteristics of four pineapple varieties to select those displaying adequate storage resistance and those suitable for freshly cut processing. Four varieties of pineapple, namely Tainong No.16, Tainong No.17, Tainong No.11, and Bali, were used to analyze the quality differences in freshly cut pineapple during storage by measuring the quality, physiological indicators, and total microbial count. The results indicated that the nutritional quality and storability of freshly cut pineapples differed significantly among the varieties. During refrigeration at 4 °C, Tainong No.11 and Bali displayed the shortest storage period of 4 d, while Tainong No.17 and Tainong No.16 presented storage periods of 5 d and 6 d, respectively. A sensory evaluation indicated that the Tainong No.16 variety was superior in terms of consumer preference, while the Bali slices were generally rated lower than the other cultivars. Additionally, the sensory properties, weight loss, firmness, and ascorbic acid (AA) content of Tainong No.16 changed the least during storage, with values of 60.75%, 6.48%, 75.15%, and 20.44%, respectively. Overall, the quality order of the four varieties of freshly cut pineapples during storage was: Tainong No.16 > Tainong No.17 > Tainong No.11 > Bali. Moreover, two-way ANOVA showed that the main effect of variety and storage time on the storage quality of fresh-cut pineapple was significant (p < 0.05). The interaction effect of variety and storage time on other quality characteristics of fresh-cut pineapple was significant (p < 0.05) except for Titratable acid (TA) and AA. In conclusion, Tainong No.16 displayed higher storage potential than the other varieties. The results of this work provide application possibilities to promote the successful processing of pineapple cultivars as freshly cut produce.