Isolation and identification of polysaccharides from Pythium arrhenomanes and application to strawberry fruit (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) preservation

[Display omitted] •Polysaccharides from Pythium arrhenomanes was applicated to the strawberry preservation.•Strawberries coated with the polysaccharide showed a significant delay in decay index.•This polysaccharide may be exploitable to improve the shelf-life of strawberries. In this study, we extracted exopolysaccharides from Pythium arrhenomanes and purified them to obtain three polysaccharides (PEPS-1, PEPS-2, PEPS-3). The composition of these polysaccharides was determined. PEPS-2 and PEPS-3 showed outstanding antioxidant activities. PEPS-2 was chosen as a polysaccharide-based coating for strawberry fruit, and its effects on postharvest preservation of the fruit were determined. Strawberries coated with PEPS-2 exhibited significant delay in decay index and lower malondialdehyde, higher soluble solids content, anthocyanin content and vitamin C content, and greater DPPH radical-scavenging activity than uncoated control fruit. The developed method could be beneficial for improving the shelf-life of strawberries.