Nano-cinnamaldehyde Cleaning and Coating: A Dual Approach to Maintain Postharvest Quality of Strawberries

Building upon our previous research that focused on stabilizing cinnamaldehyde, particularly in its nano-form (nano-cinnamaldehyde), this study aimed to explore an eco-friendly and effective method for preserving strawberries after harvest. Specifically, we evaluated four distinct treatments: cinnamaldehyde rinsing (CIN), water-soluble chitosan coating (CS), nano-cinnamaldehyde rinsing (SEC), and nano-cinnamaldehyde-incorporated water-soluble chitosan coating (CS+SEC). Our focus was on assessing their effectiveness in reducing decay and maintaining quality of strawberries, including ascorbic acid and total phenols levels, during storage at ambient temperature. The results revealed that all four treatments effectively delayed the deterioration of strawberries quality. Notably, the SEC and CS+SEC treatments emerged as the most promising. Compared to the control group (CK), the shelf life of strawberries treated with SEC and CS+SEC was extended by more than 50%. On the fourth day of storage, the disease index, total bacterial count, and total mold and yeast count were reduced by more than 60.77%, 36.87%, and 34.60%, respectively, in comparison to the CK group. By the sixth day of storage, the retention rates of ascorbic acid and total phenols, as well as DPPH radical scavenging activity, were approximately ~100%, 67.67%~79.57%, and 92.53%~97.63%, respectively, of their initial levels on day 0. Furthermore, the malondialdehyde content in fruits treated with SEC and CS+SEC on the sixth day was significantly lower than that in CK on the fourth day. In conclusion, the SEC and CS+SEC treatments exhibited superior preservation of strawberries quality after harvest, presenting a promising and environmentally friendly approach for strawberries preservation.