Work

A low-cost in situ nanoparticle coating with high encapsulation efficiency and continuous release capability for inhibiting flesh lignification and enhancing antioxidant capacity and cold tolerance of loquat fruit

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Loquat fruit is vulnerable to postharvest chilling lignification. Fumigation with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) could inhibit the lignification, but is inefficient. The present study developed nanoparticles encapsulated with MeJA (MeJA@NPs) with high encapsulation efficiency (94.83 %) and 30 d sustained release capability. Then, a transparent, edible, in situ coating was prepared by blending a gelatin/pullulan solution with MeJA@NPs. The coating could continuously inhibit chilling lignification of loquat fruit, where the firmness increase and lignin accumulation were reduced by 82.7 % and 52.3 % respectively after 6 d of storage. Further analysis of the inhibition mechanism showed that the coating suppressed the peroxidase activity, thereby blocking lignin polymerization. Besides, the coating could also enhance the antioxidant capacity of fruits via activating cinnamate 4-hydroxylase and 4-coumarate: CoA ligase and upregulating the superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase activities. In conclusion, our work provides a novel approach of in situ nanoparticle coating on fruits for postharvest preservation. Some of the figures in the graphical abstract were created using Servier Medical Art ( https://smart.servier.com ), which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. • In situ GP-MeJA@NPs coating was prepared to inhibit loquat postharvest lignification. • MeJA@NPs had 94.83 % encapsulation efficiency and 30 d continuous release of MeJA. • Increase of firmness and lignin of coated fruit was only 17.3 % and 47.7 % of CK at 6 d. • NPs coating could also enhance the antioxidant capacity and cold tolerance of fruit. • NPs coating is transparent, cheap, and easy to wash off, good for fruit sales and eat.

Source: Food Chemistry

DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146483