Preservation of green bell peppers with chitosan coatings

Abstract

Chitosan coatings were applied on green bell peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) to evaluate their effect on prolongation of quality and shelf life of this vegetable. Each group of peppers was treated in different way, considering samples without treatment and samples coated with chitosan solutions. The coatings were applied by brushstrokes with chitosan solutions at 1 and 2% (w/v) in lactic acid 1%. Later to the drying of the vegetables, these they were packed in bags of low density polyethylene. Some parameters of quality were determined during the storage at 10 to 12ºC: weight loss, texture, soluble solids, pH and sensorial evaluation by Quantitative Descriptive Analysis. The chitosan coatings enhanced the quality of peppers and prolonging their shelf life, better results were obtained with chitosan solution at 1%.