The Use of Opuntia ficus-indica Mucilage and Aloe arborescens as Edible Coatings to Improve the Physical, Chemical, and Microbiological Properties of ‘Hayward’ Kiwifruit Slices

Edible coatings (EC) with mucilage of Opuntia ficus-indica or Aloe arborescens are promising to extend the shelf life of fresh-cut fruit products by reducing weight loss and microbial spoilage. In this work, fresh-cut kiwifruits (cv. Hayward) were coated in solutions with mucilage extracted from Opuntia ficus-indica (MC) and A. arborescens (AL). We used three alternative treatments with AL or MC, MC+AL, and with distilled water as control, and stored in passive atmosphere at 5◦ C for 3, 5, 7, and 9 d, respectively. For all treatments at each storage period, firmness, weight loss, color, visual quality score, respiration rate, pectin content, and microbiological characteristics were observed. The treatments with mucilage and A. arborescens applied on fresh-cut kiwi slices showed different significant effects until 9 days of storage, in terms of firmness and total pectin. Microbial spoilage analysis revealed the beneficial effects of this strategy after 3 d, particularly in terms of bacteria and yeast. A. arborescens provided a reduction of microbial activity, probably due to the higher quantity of aloin if related to Aloe species. Furthermore, the treatment with MC and AL increased the total pectin content, showing positive effects in terms weight loss and firmness. The results showed that the MC+AL treatment improved the visual score of fresh-cut kiwi fruit until 7 d of storage.