Aloe vera gel coating maintains quality and safety of ready-to-eat pomegranate arils

•Aloe vera gel maintains quality of ready-to-eat pomegranate arils.•Microbial spoilage was reduced in Aloe vera-coated arils.•Shelf life of pomegranate arils was extended with enhanced bioactive compounds.•Panellists preferred arils treated with Aloe vera alone or in combination with acids. Several postharvest treatments were performed on pomegranate arils prior to storage in rigid polypropylene boxes for 12 days at 3°C: water (control), ascorbic+citric acids (at 0.5 or 1%), Aloe vera gel (at 50 or 100%), 50% A. vera gel+0.5% ascorbic and 0.5% citric acid, and 100% A. vera gel+1% ascorbic and 1% citric acid. A. vera (alone or in combination with acids) led to lower CO2 and higher O2 concentrations inside the packages compared with arils treated with water (control). With respect to quality attributes, A. vera coatings led to firmness retention and increased levels of total anthocyanins and total phenolics. In addition, A. vera treatments led to significantly lower counts for both mesophilic aerobics and yeast and moulds. Sensory analysis scores for flavour, texture, aroma, colour and purchase decision were higher in arils treated with A. vera, especially in those arils treated with 100% A. vera+1% ascorbic and citric acids. Finally, no off-flavours in pomegranate arils were perceived by judges as a consequence of A. vera gel treatment.