Shelf-life Extension of Fresh-cut Apple Cubes with Chitosan Coating

The possible use of chitosan coating on fresh-cut apples was investigated in this research. Manually sliced apples were treated with solutions of 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 g.kg-1 chitosan in acetic acid and then stored at 4°C for 17 days. Physical, physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties of the samples were monitored during the storage period. It was found that chitosan coatings inhibited the growth of microorganisms and affected significantly and positively the storage time of the products. Changes in the sensory qualities of taste were evaluated. A chitosan coating retarded water loss and the drop in sensory quality, increasing the soluble solid content and titratable acidity. The data revealed that applying a chitosan coating preserved effectively the quality and extended the shelf-life of fresh-cut apples.