Chitosan-Loaded Vanillin Nanoformulation as an Edible Coating for Post-Harvest Preservation of Indian Gooseberry (Amla)

TL;DR

This study introduces a new edible coating made of chitosan and vanillin to extend the shelf life and preserve the quality of Indian gooseberries.

Contribution

The first synthesis of chitosan-loaded vanillin nanoformulation as an edible coating for post-harvest preservation of amla fruits.

Findings

Vanillin-Nf coating reduced decay incidence by 42.84% and extended amla shelf-life to 15 days.

The coating reduced weight loss by 24.39% and preserved key quality parameters like pH and antioxidant capacity.

Vanillin-Nf showed high encapsulation efficiency and formed stable spherical nanocapsules with controlled release properties.

Abstract

This is the first investigation that attempts to synthesize chitosan-loaded vanillin nanoformulation (vanillin-Nf) as a novel edible coating agent to prolong the storage life of Indian gooseberry (amla). Different concentrations of vanillin were encapsulated into chitosan via ionic gelation approach using sodium tripolyphosphate as a cross-linker. Vanillin-Nf 1:1 (w/v) exhibited maximum loading capacity (2.502 ± 0.008%) and encapsulation efficiency (54.483 ± 1.165%). The physico-chemical characterization of vanillin-Nf through SEM, DLS, FT-IR, and XRD techniques confirmed effective incorporation of vanillin into the chitosan biomatrix and formation of spherical nanocapsules, with a mean particle size of 232.83 nm, zeta potential +69.66 mV, and polydispersity index 0.296. The in vitro release profile of vanillin exhibited a biphasic and regulated release pattern. The application of vanillin-Nf as an edible coating solution on amla (Phyllanthus emblica L.) fruits was highly effective in reducing decay incidence up to 42.84% and extended their shelf-life to 15 days at 25 ± 2 °C. The vanillin-Nf coating significantly reduced weight loss in amla fruits (24.39 ± 1.02%) in comparison to control. In addition, vanillin-Nf coating also helped in preserving the key quality parameters, including pH, chlorophyll content, total soluble solids, total phenols, and antioxidant capacity of Indian gooseberries to a substantial extent at the end of storage. Collectively, our findings indicate that vanillin-Nf coating is an effective post-harvest approach for controlling decay, prolonging shelf-life, and maintaining the nutritional attributes of Indian gooseberries, highlighting its potential for commercial application in the food and agriculture industry.

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