Abstract
Quality and biochemical changes of 'Hindi-Besennara' mangoes in response to chitosan, gallic acid (GA) and chitosan gallate (CG) postharvest dipping were studied during 2 weeks of storage at 20 +/- 2 A degrees C and 60-70% RH. Both GA and CG lowered decay and weight loss during storage. Chitosan and GA at high level and CG at both level maintained higher membrane stability index of peel than control. Fruits treated only CG and GA at high level and chitosan at both levels retained higher acidity and vitamin C but lower pH and total soluble solids (TSS) than control. All treatments resulted with fruits with higher flesh firmness and lower TSS/acid ratio than untreated fruits. GA at both rates gave lower total phenols after 1 week of storage than control. Both levels of GA and low level of chitosan resulted with fruits with higher antioxidant capacity (lower IC50 values) after 1 week of storage than control. All treatments decreased alpha-amylase activity of fruit peel compared to control. CG and GA at high level and chitosan at low level increased peroxidase activity compared to control. It was concluded that CG and GA dipping delayed ripening and maintained quality of 'Hindi-Besennara' mangoes during 2 weeks of shelf life.