Extending the Storage Life of Mexican Lime through Guar Gum, Jojoba Oil, and Oleic Acid-Based Coatings

Extending the Storage Life of Mexican Lime through Guar Gum, Jojoba Oil, and Oleic Acid-Based Coatings | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Extending the Storage Life of Mexican Lime through Guar Gum, Jojoba Oil, and Oleic Acid-Based Coatings Marziyeh Shamshami, Leila Jafari, Abdolmajid Mirzaalian Dastjerdi This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7613717/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 8 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background The loss of postharvest quality due to chilling injury is critical for fresh fruits. Edible coatings have proven to be a convenient approach for fruit preservation. This research investigated the application of different edible coatings, guar gum (GG), jojoba oil (JO), oleic acid (OA), and their combination to maintain the postharvest quality of Mexican lime ( Citrus aurantifolia ) stored at 8 ± 1°C for 80 days. Results The results revealed that the edible coatings reduced weight loss and decay after 80 days of storage. GG/JO and GG/OA were the most effective treatments for maintaining firmness during storage. Compared with the control, all the treatments, especially GA/OA, delayed the development of chilling injury and lipid peroxidation indices at low temperatures. Additionally, GG/OA had the greatest effects on maintaining chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, total phenol, and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity. The highest TSS and lowest TA were obtained in the GG/OA treatment. Conclusions These results suggest that edible coatings, especially GA/OA, can be considered excellent treatments for enhancing the storability of Mexican lime at low temperatures. Chilling injury Edible coatings Phenolic compounds Postharvest Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Background Mexican lime ( Citrus aurantifolia cv. Mexican lime) is a well-known citrus fruit belonging to the Rutaceae family. It is characterized by smooth skin, a greenish-yellow peel, and high acidity [ 1 ]. The extensive cultivation of lime is due to its unique sensory properties, such as flavor and aroma, which make it suitable for use in the food and beverage industries as both a fresh product and a natural flavoring additive. Despite the high annual worldwide production of limes and lemons (~ 23.6 million tons), they suffer significant postharvest losses ranging from 18% to 25% owing to their rapid perishability [ 2 ]. Limes lose marketability within 1–2 weeks after harvest under ambient conditions. Although cold storage (4–7°C) can extend their shelf life to 6 weeks by slowing metabolic activity, it increases the risk of chilling injury when temperatures decrease below the critical point and CI symptoms such as peel discoloration, textural degradation, and increased susceptibility to microbial infection compromise fruit quality and market appeal [ 3 , 4 ]. Consequently, techniques that can reduce the adverse effects of cold storage are necessary. In recent years, the development of safe methods for fruit preservation has gained increasing attention. Edible films and coatings are safe and high-potential tools that extend the shelf and storage life of fruits while maintaining their overall quality. There are different types of coatings, including polysaccharides, lipids, and proteins. Polysaccharide-based coatings, such as natural gums, can inhibit physiological and metabolic changes in fruit and delay the decline in fruit quality. Furthermore, these coatings, owing to their antimicrobial characteristics, can help prevent the occurrence of diseases and thereby reduce the damage caused by fruit rot. However, their efficiency depends on the type and nature of the coating [ 5 – 7 ]. Previous studies have shown the ability of edible coatings, including xanthan gum [ 8 ], coatings derived from wild sage seeds [ 9 ], and pectin [ 10 ], to improve the quality and storability of lime fruits. Guar gum (GG) is a natural gum derived from the seed endosperm of guar bean ( Cyamopsis tetragonolobus ). GG, as a galactomannan, has garnered attention because of its unique characteristics, including its high molecular weight, long polymeric chain, presence of bioactive compounds, different physicochemical properties, nontoxic nature, good availability, ability to improve water solubility, antibacterial activity and film-forming ability [ 11 , 12 ]. GG has shown promising results in extending the shelf-life of fruits such as mango [ 13 , 14 ], Valencia orange [ 15 ] and sweet cherry [ 16 ]. Despite their specific physical and chemical characteristics, polysaccharide-based polymers alone still face difficulties in replacing traditional synthetic polymers in the packaging sector. Recent studies have examined the addition of natural additives to these polymers to improve their structural and functional properties. These innovations are important steps toward reducing environmental pollution and promoting sustainable alternatives to packaging. In addition, lipids such as waxes and fatty acids offer better moisture barriers because of their hydrophobic properties but have poor mechanical properties. Oleic acid (OA), a monounsaturated fatty acid, is the main component of olive oil extracted from olive fruit ( Olea europaea , Oleaceae family) [ 17 ]. OA enhances the water-barrier properties of hydrophilic films by reducing the water vapor permeability due to its lipid nature and liquid form at ambient temperature. It is highly miscible with polysaccharide matrices, such as chitosan [ 18 ] and tara gum [ 19 ]. Additionally, incorporating an optimal amount of OA can improve the antimicrobial activity of chitosan coatings and influence fruit quality [ 18 ]. Jojoba oil (JO), extracted from the Simmondsia chinensis plant, is a promising edible coating that contains natural antioxidants such as α-, β-, and δ-tocopherols; therefore, it is resistant to oxidation. It is odorless, colorless, nonvolatile, and free from rancidity. JO is an ester of long-chain fatty acids and monovalent long-chain alcohols. Thus, it is referred to as wax or oil wax and is used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries because of its antibiotic properties [ 20 , 21 ]. JO creates a protective layer on the fruit surface, which helps reduce moisture loss and prevents microbial penetration in stored fruits. JO has been shown to improve the quality of mango [ 22 ], guava [ 23 ] and peach [ 24 ] fruits by slowing water loss, improving the external skin layer, and regulating gas permeability and the transpiration rate. Natural plant substances also include phenolic compounds that have beneficial biologically active properties, including antibacterial and antioxidant activities, which make them safe for human health and environmentally sustainable. This work therefore aimed to evaluate the efficacy of GG, OA and JO as safe postharvest preservatives for the control of postharvest quality and for the extension of the life of Mexican lime fruits. Materials and Methods Raw materials Mexican lime ( Citrus aurantifolia cv. Mexican lime) at the maturity stage was purchased from a commercial orchard in Jahrom (28° 29' 39" N/53° 33' 29" E), Fars Province, Iran. GG (Sigma Aldrich, UK), OA (Merck, Germany), JO (Samana Oils, Iran), and glycerol (Merck, Germany) were used to prepare the edible coatings. Preparation and application of treatments To prepare a 2% GG coating, 20 g of GG powder was accurately weighed and dissolved in 1000 mL of distilled water. The mixture was stirred vigorously for 30 min at 60°C to avoid clump formation and ensure complete dissolution of the GG. Then, 20 mL of glycerol (Sigma Aldrich, UK) and 10 mL of Tween 80 (Sigma Aldrich, UK) were added to the solution at 60°C as a plasticizer and emulsifier, respectively. The mixture was homogenized until fully incorporated and allowed to cool to room temperature [ 25 ]. To prepare the JO coating (1% v/v), 10 mL of JO was mixed with 5 mL of Tween 80, and the volume was adjusted to 1000 mL with distilled water. Similarly, an OA coating (1% v/v) was prepared by dissolving 10 mL of OA in 5 mL of Tween 80, diluting it with distilled water to a final volume of 1000 mL, and then mixing the solution vigorously with a homogenizer [ 18 ]. The selected lime fruits used in this experiment were uniform in size, color, and maturity level and were free from visible damage, disease, or decay. A total of 1080 lime fruits were randomly divided into six treatment groups. Each group was sampled at five time points (1, 20, 40, 60, and 80 days), with three replications and nine fruits per replication. Before treatment, the fruits were sanitized by soaking in a 1% sodium hypochlorite solution for one minute, rinsing with distilled water and air-drying at room temperature. The fruits were subsequently immersed in one of the following solutions for two minutes: distilled water (control), GG, OA, JO, GG/JO, or GG/OA. After treatment, the fruits were air-dried at room temperature. Afterward, each treatment was individually packaged in plastic containers and stored at 8 ± 1°C with a relative humidity of 90 ± 5%. The first assessment of fruit quality was conducted one day after treatment, while the subsequent assessments were performed at 20, 40, 60, and 80 days of storage. Additionally, the fruits were held at room temperature for one day to simulate commercial conditions, after which the qualitative characteristics were measured. Weight loss To measure weight loss, the initial weights of the samples (W 0 ) and their weights at 20, 40, 60, and 80 days (W t ) were recorded, and the WL (%) at each time point was determined via the following formula: WL (%) = [(W₀ − Wₜ)/W₀] × 100. Firmness The firmness (N) was evaluated via an Instron Universal Testing Machine (Model 53205, Turoni, Italy). Two points on each fruit were selected, an 8 mm diameter probe was pressed into the fruit to a depth of 3 mm at a constant speed of 5 mm/s, and the force required (N) was recorded. Decay Index The decay index (%) was quantified by calculating the percentage of rotted lime fruits (with visible mycelial growth on the surface) in each treatment independently via the following formula: decay index % = (number of decayed fruits at the time of sampling/number of initial fruits) × 100. Chilling Injury The occurrence of CI in lime fruit was assessed by counting the total number of fruits displaying CI symptoms, which included irregular brown lesions, yellow water-soaked spots, or even sunken areas on the fruit peel [ 26 ]. Electrolyte leakage Electrolyte leakage (EL) was assessed using 4 g of fresh lime peel, which was soaked in 40 mL of distilled water and shaken for 4 hours at room temperature. The initial EL level (EL i ) was measured via a digital electrical conductivity meter (Weinheim, Germany). The samples were subsequently boiled at 100°C for 30 minutes and cooled to 20°C, after which the secondary EL (EL s ) was recorded. EL (%) was determined via the following formula: ([(EL s - EL i )/EL s ] × 100) [ 27 ]. Malondialdehyde content Lipid peroxidation was evaluated by measuring the malondialdehyde (MDA) content following the method described by Pasquariello et al., [ 28 ]. In this procedure, 1 g of lime peel was blended with 2 mL of 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.2) and then centrifuged (15 min at 14,000 × g and 4°C). Subsequently, 1000 µL of a 20% trichloroacetic acid solution containing 0.5% thiobarbituric acid was added to 1000 µL of the supernatant. The mixture was heated at 95°C for 30 minutes, then allowed to cool to room temperature and centrifuged again (5 minutes at 1000 × g and 4°C). The absorbance of the reaction mixture was measured at 532 and 600 nm (microplate spectrophotometer, Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA). Ascorbic acid The ascorbic acid content was measured with slight modifications according to the method described by O'Grady et al., [ 29 ]. One milliliter of fruit juice was mixed with 9 mL of metaphosphoric acid (1%), shaken for 1 minute, and sonicated in cold water for 3 minutes. Then, 1 mL of the resulting mixture was blended with 4 mL of 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol solution (0.0025%) and incubated in the dark for 10 minutes. The absorbance was measured at 515 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA). Ascorbic acid was expressed as mg ascorbic acid per 100 g of fresh weight (mg 100 g -1 FW) on the basis of an ascorbic acid standard curve (0–500 mg L -1 ). Total phenol and flavonoid contents The total phenol content (mg GA 100 g -1 FW) was assessed calorimetrically on the basis of a standard curve of gallic acid [ 30 ]. Lime juice methanolic extract (300 µL) and 10% diluted Folin–Ciocalteu reagent (1500 µL) were mixed and incubated for 5 min at room temperature. Then, 7% sodium carbonate (1200 µL) was added, and the mixture was placed on a shaker in the dark for 90 minutes at room temperature. The absorbances of the samples and the gallic acid standards were read at 750 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA). The aluminum chloride colorimetric method and the standard curve of quercetin (0–500 mg/L) were used to assess the flavonoid content [ 31 ]. Lime juice (500 µL) was mixed with 85% methanol (1200 µL), 10% aluminum chloride (100 µL), 1 M potassium acetate (100 µL), and distilled water (2800 µL). The mixture was subsequently incubated in the dark at ambient temperature for 30 minutes. The absorbances of the samples and the quercetin standards were measured at 414 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA). The flavonoid content was expressed as mg quercetin per 100 g of fresh weight (mg Q100 g -1 FW) on the basis of the quercetin standard curve (0–500 mg L -1 ). Antioxidant activity The free radical scavenging DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method was used to evaluate the antioxidant activity of lime fruit. Lime juice methanolic extract (100 µL) was mixed with 900 µL of DPPH (0.1 mM) and incubated for 30 minutes in the dark at ambient temperature. The absorbances of the samples and the control were measured at 414 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA). The antioxidant activity (A) of the extracts was calculated via the following formula: ([(A Control − A Sample)/A Control] × 100) [ 32 ]. Soluble solids content, titratable acidity, and pH The TSS (%) was determined via a digital refractometer (DBR95, Taiwan), and the TA (%) was determined via titration of the diluted fruit juice (1/5 mL) to pH 8.2 with 0.1 N NaOH. Phenylalanine Ammonialyase, Polyphenol Oxidase, and Peroxidase Activity Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity was estimated according to the method described by Kováčik and Klejdus, [ 33 ] with slight modifications. Fresh lime peel samples (0.3 g) were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and homogenized in 2 mL of cold sodium borate buffer (pH 8.8) containing beta-mercaptoethanol as a stabilizing agent. The homogenate was immediately centrifuged at 12,000 × g for 15 minutes at 4°C to separate the supernatants containing the enzyme. The reaction mixture, consisting of 500 µL of buffer, 350 µL of homogenate, and 300 µL of 50 mM L-phenylalanine, was incubated at 40°C for 60 minutes. The reaction was stopped by adding 50 µL of 5 N HCl, and the absorbance was measured spectrophotometrically at 290 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA). Fresh lime peel samples (1 g) were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and homogenized in 5 mL of cold potassium phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7.0). The homogenate was immediately centrifuged at 12,000 × g for 15 minutes at 4°C to separate the supernatants containing the enzymes for polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) assessment. The reaction mixture used to assess PPO activity included 500 µL of buffer, 100 µL of supernatant, 200 µL of pyrogallol (0.02 M), and 2.7 mL of potassium phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7.0). The absorbance was measured at 420 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA), and the enzyme activity was expressed as UL -1 [ 34 ]. A reaction mixture including the supernatant (300 µL), 100 µL guaiacol (4%), µL H 2 O 2 (1%), and 2.77 mL potassium phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7) was used to assay POD activity [ 35 ]. The sample's absorbance was read at 470 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA), and the enzyme activity was expressed as UL -1 . Statistical analysis A factorial experiment was conducted with a complete randomized design (CRD). The factors included six treatments (three replications and nine fruits per replication) and five storage times. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out via SAS software (version 9.1). Mean comparisons were performed via the least significant difference (LSD) test to determine significant differences among treatments at P < 0.05. Heatmap clustering analysis was conducted with R statistical software (R.3.3.2). Results Weight loss The WL of the fruit was significantly affected by the treatments during the storage period (20–80 days) (Fig. 1 A). After 20 days, the control treatment had the maximum WL (5.03%), while the GG/OA treatment had the minimum percentage (3.21%). On day 40, the OA treatment resulted in the highest WL (10.19%), whereas the GG/JO treatment resulted in the lowest percentage (6.87%). On day 60, the control treatment had the highest WL (9.99%), and the GG/OA coating had the lowest value (7.32%). Finally, the control presented the highest WL (14.12%), while the lowest was observed in the GG/OA treatment (9.53%). Decay Our analysis revealed a significant effect of storage time on the probability of fruit decay in Mexican lime ( P < 0.05 ). The estimated log odds of decay increased over time, indicating an increasing decay rate during storage. After 20 days, the estimated log odds ratio was − 1.82, corresponding to a mean decay probability of 13.9%. This probability reached 29.1%, and the increase was significant until 40 days. On day 60, the mean decay probability reached 44.3%. The estimated mean probability of decay ultimately reached 54.9%, which was not significantly different from that on day 60 (p = 0.24) (Table 1 ). Additionally, on the basis of the results of the GLIMMIX model with a logit link function, different coating treatments produced significant differences in controlling fruit decay ( P < 0.05 ). The actual probability of decay in fruits treated with edible coatings was lower than that in the control. The combined treatment of guar gum + oleic acid resulted in the lowest decay rate, with a probability of 26.29%, which was not significantly different from that of the other coating treatments. Moreover, the control treatment resulted in the highest decay rate of 31.57% (Table 2 ). Table 1 Logit estimates and mean decay probabilities (± SE) of Mexican lime fruit during storage. Storage Time (day) Estimate ± SE Pr >|t| Mean ± SE 20 -1.82 ± 0.24 < .0001 13.93 ± 0.03 c 40 -0.89 ± 0.18 < .0001 29.11 ± 0.04 b 60 -0.23 ± 0.16 0.16 44.28 ± 0.04 a 80 0.20 ± 0.16 0.24 54.88 ± 0.04 a Similar letters indicate a non-significant difference at 5% level of probability using LSD's test. Table 2 Logit estimates and mean decay probabilities (± SE) of Mexican lime fruit under different edible coating treatments during storage. Treatment Estimate ± ER Pr >|t| Mean ± ER Control 0.29 ± 0.21 0.160 57.31 ± 5.05 a Guar gum -0.82 ± 0.23 0.001 30.57 ± 4.95 b Jojoba oil -0.93 ± 0.23 0.000 28.26 ± 4.73 b Oleic Acid -1.03 ± 0.24 < .0001 26.29 ± 4.64 b Guar Gum/ Jojoba oil -0.82 ± 0.23 0.001 30.59 ± 4.94 b Guar Gum/ Oleic Acid -0.81 ± 0.23 0.001 30.78 ± 4.91 b Similar letters indicate a non-significant difference at 5% level of probability using LSD's test. Firmness The results revealed that treatment, storage time, and their combination had a significant effect on firmness ( P < 0.05 ). A decreasing trend in firmness was observed for all the treatments throughout the storage time, while the highest values were recorded on the first day after treatment, and the lowest values were recorded on day 80. The control exhibited a notable decline in firmness from 78 N to 41 N over time. The GG/OA maintained the greatest firmness among the treatments, decreasing from 79 N on day 1 to 61 N on day 80. Additionally, the firmness of the plants in the other treatment groups was significantly greater than that of the control plants (Fig. 1 B). Chilling Injury As shown in Fig. 2 A, no CI symptoms were visible during the first 20 days of storage. After this period, however, CI became progressively more apparent in all the treatment groups as the storage time increased. By day 40, the GG/JO treatment had the most severe CI, whereas the GG/OA treatment had the least severe CI, with a considerable difference of over 50% between the two. When storage was extended to 60 and 80 days, the untreated fruits (control) presented the greatest CI severity. In contrast, all the coated samples experienced notably less damage. Interestingly, the GG-treated fruits presented the lowest CI on day 60, whereas on day 80, the best results were observed in the GG/JO group. These findings suggest that applying edible coatings can be valuable in minimizing chilling-related damage during extended cold storage. Electrolyte leakage Analysis of variance indicated that only the main effects of storage time and treatment were statistically significant for EL, whereas their interaction effect was not significant ( P < 0.05 ). As shown in Fig. 2 B, EL increased significantly over the storage period, reaching a maximum of 99.87% on day 80. Moreover, all coating treatments significantly reduced the EL compared with that of the control. Among these treatments, the GG/JO and GG/OA treatments resulted in the greatest reductions, with EL values 15.44 and 13.07% lower than those of the control, respectively (Fig. 2 C). Malondialdehyde content As shown in Fig. 2 D, the MDA levels increased progressively during storage. The most significant increase in the MDA content was observed in the untreated fruits. Initially, no significant differences were detected among the treatments. After 20 days of storage, fruits treated with GG presented the smallest increase in the MDA content (40.05%), whereas OA-treated fruits presented the greatest increase (51.46%). By day 40, all the treatments except JO had lower MDA levels than did the control. After 60 days, the highest MDA concentration (2.35 ng/g FW) was recorded in untreated fruit, whereas the GG and GG/OA combination had the lowest MDA. At the end of the storage period, the lowest and highest MDA contents were found in the GG/JO (2.23 ng/g FW) and untreated fruits (2.75 ng/g FW), respectively. Chlorophyll and Carotenoid Contents As shown in Fig. 3 A, the total chlorophyll content gradually decreased as storage progressed. At the beginning of the storage period, there were no significant differences among the treatments. However, by day 20, fruits in the untreated fruit (0.58 mg/100 g FW), GG (0.55 mg/100 g FW), and JO (0.57 mg/100 g FW) treatments retained more chlorophyll than the other fruits did, although the differences were not statistically significant. By day 60, there were no significant differences among the treatments. The GG/OA- and GG/JO-treated fruits maintained higher chlorophyll contents than did the other treatment groups. On the other hand, the carotenoid content generally tended to increase throughout the storage period, suggesting that as the chlorophyll content decreased. No significant differences were detected among the treatments at the beginning of storage. On days 20, 40, and 60, the GG, OA, and combined treatment groups presented the lowest carotenoid levels. By the end of the storage period, fruits treated with GG (0.76 mg/100 g FW) or GG/OA (0.71 mg/100 g FW) presented lower carotenoid contents than those in the other treatments did (Fig. 3 B). Ascorbic acid As shown in Fig. 4 , the ascorbic acid content in all the treatments decreased significantly over the 80-day storage period. Storage time, treatment, and their interaction had significant effects on ascorbic acid retention ( P < 0.05 ). On day 1, the highest value was recorded in fruits treated with GG (50.25 mg 100⁻¹ g FW), whereas the lowest values were observed in the control and JO treatments (both 48.75 mg). By day 20, a noticeable reduction was observed across all the treatments. The GG coating maintained the highest level (48.92 mg), which was significantly greater than that of the control. The lowest value at this stage was detected in the GG/JO treatment (40.58 mg). On day 40, the GG/OA treatment resulted in the highest amount of ascorbic acid (48.08 mg), followed by the GG treatment (46.42 mg). By day 60, the GG/OA treatment resulted in the highest level of ascorbic acid (39.59 mg), whereas the control sharply decreased to 34.01 mg. On day 80, the lowest ascorbic acid content was found in the control (29.85 mg). Fruits treated with GG/OA (35.10 mg) or GG/JO (34.60 mg) presented significantly greater levels, with no significant difference between the two combined treatments. Total phenol and flavonoid contents As shown in Fig. 5 A, the TPC of all the treatments decreased significantly over the 80-day storage period ( P < 0.05). Initially, there were no significant differences among the treatments. However, by day 20, the phenolic content of the GG-treated fruit (181.78 mg GAE 100 g -1 FW) substantially decreased, whereas the GG/OA-treated fruit presented the highest phenolic content (243.61 mg). On day 40, the GG/OA treatment resulted in the highest TPC (256.33 mg), followed by the GG/JO (231.37 mg) and GG (207.33 mg) treatments. On the other hand, the control and JO treatments had the lowest values (181.45 and 176.33 mg, respectively). By day 60, GG/OA (170.67 mg) and GG/JO (165.45 mg) maintained significantly greater levels than did the control (120.94 mg). At the end of storage (day 80), the GG treatment had the lowest TPC (72.22 mg), whereas the GG/OA treatment had the highest TPC (133.56 mg), followed by the GG/JO (108.95 mg) and GG (103.56 mg) treatments. The data in Fig. 5 B show that storage time, treatment, and their interaction significantly influenced the flavonoid content ( P < 0.05). The changes in flavonoid levels closely matched those in TPC. On the first day, there were no significant differences among the treatments. By day 60, however, all the treatments except for GG/OA and GG/JO resulted in a significant decline in flavonoid content. After 80 days, the GG/OA treatment resulted in the maximum flavonoid content and the lowest reduction (1.55%) compared with the initial value. Antioxidant activity The results of the antioxidant activity measurements over the 80-day storage period indicated that storage time, treatment, and their interaction had significant effects on the antioxidant activity ( P < 0.05). On the first day, no significant differences were observed among the treatments. On day 20, the antioxidant activity significantly decreased in all the treatments except for the OA treatment, which presented a 3.83% increase and presented the highest activity (73.23%), which was significantly greater than that in the other treatments. The antioxidant activity in the OA treatment remained the highest on day 40 (69.61%). The declining trend continued through day 60, when the OA and control treatments presented the highest (48.76%) and lowest (29.57%) percentages, respectively. At the end of the storage period, the control treatment had the lowest antioxidant activity (20.63%), while the OA treatment had the highest value (38.16%) (Fig. 5 C). Soluble solids content, titratable acidity and pH Storage time, treatment, and their interaction significantly influenced the TSS, TA, and pH values ( P < 0.05). As shown in Fig. 6 A, by day 20, the TSS content had decreased in all the treatments compared with that on the first day, except for the GG/OA ratio. By day 40, a significant increase in TSS was recorded in most treatments, and the OA (11.09%) and GG/JO (10.48%) treatments presented the highest TSS values. During the later stages of storage (60 and 80 days), all the treatments presented higher TSS levels than did the control, while the GG/OA-treated fruits presented significantly greater TSS contents than did those in the other treatments. As shown in Fig. 6 B, TA decreased significantly over the storage period. Initially, there were no significant differences among the treatments. By day 20, TA levels had decreased in all the samples, but the JO treatment still had the highest value (7.8%), which was significantly greater than that of the control (6.1%). On day 40, the control had the highest TA (6.8%), while the OA treatment had the lowest (5.3%). After 60 days, the GG treatment resulted in the lowest TA (5.5%), whereas the GG/OA treatment resulted in the highest value (7%). Finally, the control had the lowest TA (4.3%), while the OA treatment had the highest value (5.5%). However, there were no significant differences among the treated fruits. As depicted in Fig. 6 C, there were no significant differences in pH among the treatments at the start of the experiment. After 20 days of storage, the highest pH was recorded in the JO-treated fruit. At 40 and 60 days, the highest pH values were observed in the control and GG-treated fruits, with no significant differences between them. However, by the end of the storage period, these two treatments presented significantly lower pH values than did the other treatments. Polyphenol oxidase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase and peroxidase activity Analysis of variance revealed that only the treatment effect on PPO and PAL activities was statistically significant ( P < 0.05). In contrast, the main effects of time, treatment, and their interaction significantly influenced POD activity ( P < 0.05). As shown in Fig. 7A, all treated fruits presented lower PPO activity than did the control, with the GG/OA treatment resulting in the lowest PPO activity. In contrast, all the treated fruits presented greater PAL activity than did the control fruits. The results revealed that, compared with the JO and GG/JO treatments, the GG treatment was more effective at increasing PAL activity, although this difference was not statistically significant (Fig. 7B). The POD activity in all the treatments significantly decreased over the 80-day storage period. On day 1, there were no significant differences among the treatments. By day 20, all the treatments resulted in a significant decrease in POD activity. At this time, the GG/OA treatment had the highest POD activity (69.67 UL⁻¹). On day 40, the JO treatment resulted in the highest POD activity (65.32 UL). The decrease in POD activity continued through day 60; at that time, the JO treatment resulted in the highest activity at 61.77 UL⁻¹, whereas the control treatment resulted in the lowest activity at 36.04 UL⁻¹. By the end of the storage period on day 80, the GG/OA treatment had the highest POD activity (46.71 UL⁻¹), which was not significantly different from that of the OA treatment (42.09 UL⁻¹) (Fig. 7C). Correlation As shown in Fig. 8, the statistical relationships between the quality traits of the Mexican lime fruit were illustrated through correlation analysis. The correlation coefficients range from − 1 to + 1, which indicates the direction and strength of the relationships among traits. The color gradient ranges from red to blue. Red tones indicate a positive correlation between variables, whereas blue tones represent a negative correlation. The heatmap of the correlation matrix presents the statistical relationships among the physiological, biochemical, and quality-related traits of the fruit. The results revealed significant positive and negative correlations among several traits. Stress- and senescence-related parameters such as PPO, the decay index, CI, WL, TA, and EL were strongly positively correlated with each other (r > 0.70). These associations suggest that an increase in one stress indicator is likely accompanied by increases in other related stress symptoms, which can lead to quality deterioration during storage. In contrast, antioxidant compounds, including AsA, total phenols, flavonoids, and the activities of defense-related enzymes such as PAL and POD, along with the total antioxidant activity, formed a distinct cluster and were strongly positively correlated (r > 0.80). These traits represent the fruit’s biochemical defense mechanisms against oxidative stress. Additionally, significant negative correlations were detected between oxidative damage indicators (PPO, DI, EL, and MDA) and antioxidant components (AsA, phenol, POD, etc.) (r < -0.70). These findings indicate that the decrease in membrane integrity and lipid peroxidation is linked to a decrease in the antioxidant activity of the fruit. Overall, these findings suggest that treatments that improve antioxidant content and enzymatic defense responses effectively reduce physiological disorders and oxidative damage and improve fruit quality and storability during postharvest storage. Discussion During storage, fruits primarily lose weight due to physiological and physical processes such as transpiration, evaporation, and respiration. In this work, GG, OA, JO, and their combination were applied as edible coatings. Among these, GG/OA led to the most significant reduction in WL. Edible coatings mitigate WL by forming a gel-like layer that reduces moisture loss from the fruit surface. Additionally, they moderate gas exchange, particularly that of oxygen and carbon dioxide, thereby lowering the respiration rate and subsequently reducing the WL [ 15 ]. Our results revealed that GG and GG/Eremurus in pomegranate [ 36 ], GG/Aloe vera in mango [ 13 ], GG/chitosan in mushroom [ 37 ], and GG/ginseng extract in sweet cherry [ 16 ] significantly reduced weight loss in stored fruit. OA is a fatty acid commonly used in the formulation of edible coatings. When applied as part of a coating, it forms a thin, hydrophobic layer on the fruit surface, which reduces water loss by minimizing transpiration and evaporation processes that significantly contribute to WL in fruits [ 18 , 38 ]. The synergistic effect of edible coatings such as chitosan with OA [ 18 ] or Arabic gum with OA [ 27 ] has been reported to produce more compact and homogenous coating matrices. These improved film structures reduce the number of pores and cracks in the film and, consequently, decrease fruit weight loss [ 18 ]. Furthermore, the use of pea starch and GG blended with a lipid mixture (shellac and OA) in 'Valencia' oranges was the most effective at reducing the fruit respiration rate, ethylene production, and WL during storage [ 15 ]. In addition, the application of JO as an edible coating has shown promising effects in reducing postharvest WL in various fruits, such as peach [ 24 ] and pear [ 39 ]. These effects are attributed to the incorporation of lipids such as JO into hydrophilic biopolymer-based films, which enhances their barrier and protective characteristics. Moreover, the physical state of the lipid component plays a critical role in determining film performance, as water has a greater affinity for liquid lipids than for solid lipids [ 40 ]. Fruit decay is widely considered one of the leading causes of postharvest losses, often resulting from natural ripening or microbial contamination. Typically, the decline in the quality of fruits can be attributed to fungal pathogens, which thrive because of high levels of moisture and nutrients and low pH [ 41 ]. Therefore, efforts to find eco-friendly substances to fight against pathogens have increased in recent decades. Some new biosource materials, such as biodegradable films and edible coatings based on plant and animal substances, have shown great potential for reducing fruit microbial decay [ 42 , 43 ]. Our results showed that GG and edible oil-based coatings can reduce the percentage of decay, probably because of their ability to reduce the activity of pathogens or delay the ripening process. Accordingly, the use of gum Arabic, JO, and moringa oil on pear [ 39 ] and pea starch and GG blended with a lipid mixture (shellac and OA) on 'Valencia' oranges [ 15 ] generally reduces the fruit decay rate. The beneficial effects of plant oils have been observed by applying JO to peach fruits [ 24 ], mango fruits [ 22 ], and guava fruits [ 23 ]. JO likely influences the percentage of decay by postponing senescence and reducing the impact of enzymes (PPOs) by restricting the movement and exchange of oxygen and inhibiting the effects of ethylene, ultimately leading to a lower decay percentage in fruits. Additionally, the use of JO could increase the content of phenolic compounds, which are a significant defense against the attack of fresh products by microorganisms [ 24 ]. Additionally, JO can serve as a natural preservative in food because of its antibacterial properties against specific microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli , Klebsiella species , and Staphylococcus aureus [ 40 ]. Firmness, which represents the structural integrity of cell walls and tissues, is a crucial quality parameter in fruit. Loss of firmness is often due to the enzymatic breakdown of pectin and cellulose in the cell wall. Additionally, as a fruit loses water, the cell turgor pressure decreases, leading to a loss of firmness. Therefore, fruit firmness is closely tied to the structural integrity of the fruit's cell walls and water content. Many fruits have a critical weight loss percentage beyond which their firmness rapidly deteriorates. Consequently, edible coatings can form a protective layer that reduces water permeability and helps prevent fruit softening, affects the activity of polygalacturonase and pectin methyl esterase enzymes [ 44 ], and reduces respiration rates [ 15 ], which postpones fruit ripening. Our results demonstrated a decrease in firmness in Mexican lime fruit throughout storage. However, these effects significantly decreased, which is consistent with the results of the application of GG and GG/Eremurus to pomegranate [ 36 ], GG/Aloe vera to mango [ 13 ], GG/ginseng extract to sweet cherry [ 16 ], pea starch and GG/OA to 'Valencia' [ 15 ] and JO to peach [ 24 ] and pear fruits [ 39 ]. CI often disrupts cell membrane fluidity and increases membrane permeability. Edible coatings can help reduce CI symptoms by creating a protective barrier and modulating physiological and biochemical processes. Our results indicated that the combination of GG, OA, and JO effectively reduced CI symptoms. This reduction was supported by lower EL and MDA contents. GG and JO act as semipermeable coatings, whereas OA forms a thin, hydrophobic layer that helps minimize oxidative stress during low-temperature storage[ 18 , 44 , 45 ]. These coatings maintain membrane integrity by preventing lipid degradation and stabilizing cellular structures [ 37 , 45 , 46 ]. On the other hand, GG can improve the antioxidant defense system by affecting antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), POD, catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). This response counteracts the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are typically elevated during chilling stress [ 45 ]. GGs are often combined with other substances to improve their effectiveness and are used in postharvest management to reduce the CI of fruits such as pear [ 46 ], Ponkan fruit [ 45 ], and mango [ 47 ], resulting in a decrease in the degree of lipid peroxidation (MDA content). GG and GG/ginseng effectively prevented the increase in the MDA content, indicating that GG and GG- ginseng could maintain membrane integrity by reducing the degradation of cell wall polysaccharides owing to the formation of an oxygen barrier that is responsible for lipid peroxidation [ 16 ]. Furthermore, GG, when used as a postharvest coating, can improve enzymatic antioxidant activities (SOD, CAT, POD, and APX), which help reduce oxidative damage [ 45 , 46 ]. OA supports membrane stability by preventing electrolyte leakage and delaying the browning of enzymes, a common CI symptom, by acting as a physical barrier and reducing oxidative stress[ 27 ]. JO contains natural antioxidants such as tocopherols [ 48 ], which help protect against low-temperature-induced stress by modulating the activities of PPO, POD, CAT, and APX [ 24 ]. Previous studies have indicated that Mexican limes are typically harvested and marketed when their peel is green, as this appearance is generally accepted by consumers [ 49 ]. However, chlorophyll breakdown throughout cold storage leads to peel yellowing, which negatively affects the visual appeal and commercial value of the fruit. Our study investigated the application of edible coatings to conserve the green color of lime peels during storage. Coatings formulated with natural gums such as guar gum, alone or in combination with OA or JO, were effective in maintaining peel color during the storage period. Similar findings have been reported in guava, where an Arabic gum-based coating enriched with OA significantly delayed chlorophyll degradation [ 27 ]. This may be explained by the ability of the coating to reduce the respiration rate and ethylene production, which play key roles in fruit ripening. For example, in tomatoes, Arabic gum has been shown to form a semipermeable barrier that slows gas exchange, thereby delaying ripening. Such coatings may also change the internal atmosphere of the fruit, increasing CO₂ concentrations, which could help preserve the green pigments [ 50 ]. The application of carnauba wax in combination with galactomannan to guava fruit delayed chlorophyll degradation and reduced the synthesis of carotenoid pigments. This effect is likely due to the slowing of the respiration process, which in turn reduces fruit metabolism and ripening, resulting in a delay in the color changes associated with ripening [ 51 ]. Similarly, the use of xanthan gum on mango reduces the activity of enzymes associated with chlorophyll degradation, thereby maintaining a green color and preventing the accumulation of carotenoids [ 7 ]. In summary, these results suggest that coatings based on natural gums, especially in combination with oils, can be valuable tools for generating a green color and slowing changes that usually accompany ripening. Phenolic compounds are essential because of their antioxidant properties, flavor, and overall nutritional value, and they are generally reduced as a result of oxidation. This is especially important during prolonged storage, where fruits might suffer significant decreases in phenolic content due to oxidation. Data analysis indicated that GG alone was ineffective in lowering total phenol but significantly inhibited the degradation of flavonoids and ascorbic acid. However, incorporating OA and JO helped mitigate the alterations in all these compounds. Studies have shown that beeswax + naphthalene acetic acid can increase the retention of antioxidants, phenolic content, and hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity in both the peel and pulp of lemon [ 52 ]. On the basis of our findings, GG-based edible coatings enriched with fennel, bay leaf, coriander, and nigella seed extracts effectively maintain the levels of antioxidants, ascorbic acid, total phenolics, and flavonoids in lemon fruit [ 53 ]. These edible coatings can reduce the permeability of oxygen and other gases, slowing the oxidative degradation of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities. Our results indicated that GG, OA, JO, and their combination decreased PPO activity, whereas PAL activity increased. Gum edible coatings have been reported to inhibit PPO and POD in fruits. OA improves the hydrophobicity of coatings, ensuring better adherence and reducing respiration rates. A reduction in the oxidative degradation of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid due to limited oxygen and enzyme activity has been reported when chitosan/OA is used in strawberry [ 18 ]; gum arabic/chitosan in mango [ 54 ]; and gum arabic, OA, and cinnamon essential oils in guava [ 27 ]. JO is a wax ester with excellent stability and film-forming properties. These properties help form a semipermeable barrier that balances gas exchange and minimizes enzymatic oxidation. JO coating treatments effectively reduce the loss of ascorbic acid in mango [ 22 ], peach [ 24 ], and guava [ 23 ] during cold storage. The preservation of ascorbic acid in coated fruits is likely related to reduced respiration rates and lower oxidation levels. These effects may result from the reduction in PPO activity, along with increases in POD, CAT, and APX activities during cold storage [ 24 ]. During fruit ripening, changes in TSSs and TAs are key indicators of quality. An increase in the TSS over time is often due to moisture loss, the breakdown of complex carbohydrates, and the activity of hydrolytic enzymes. In contrast, a decrease in TA is commonly linked to a decrease in fruit flavor and overall postharvest quality [ 55 ]. Sugars and organic acids typically decrease over time as a result of metabolic activities such as respiration, which leads to changes in the TSS, TA, and pH [ 56 ]. Edible coatings have been reported to reduce the increase in TSS and delay the decrease in TA by suppressing respiration. By reducing the metabolic rate, these coatings limit starch degradation and help maintain higher TSS levels over time. Our findings are consistent with previous studies in which coatings such as GG and CMC coatings on mango [ 14 ], GG-GSE and GG coatings on sweet cherry [ 16 ], chitosan/GG coatings on mushroom [ 37 ], and GG/ Spiria platensis coatings on mango [ 13 ] effectively delayed the increase in TSS and the decrease in TA during storage and shelf-life.. The reduction in fruit acidity during the ripening process is linked to the loss of organic acids such as citric or malic acid, which are recognized as the primary substrates for respiration [ 14 ]. The application of GG-GSE coatings on sweet cherries has been reported to reduce the respiration rate, which may be responsible for delaying the ripening process, preserving TA and slowing the increase in TSS [ 16 ]. During fruit ripening, the concentration of soluble sugars typically increases. However, many of these sugars are utilized in respiration, often leading to stable or only slightly increased sugar levels [ 25 ]. JO also has a positive effect on various chemical and physical properties of fruits. When used as a coating, JO helps maintain TA and results in significantly lower TSS values in peach [ 24 ], mango [ 22 ], guava [ 23 ], and pear fruits [ 39 ]. Conclusion The combination of GG, JO, and OA as a composite coating has demonstrated considerable potential for extending the storage life of Mexican lime. This innovative approach successfully reduced weight loss, retained firmness, and preserved essential quality attributes such as total phenol, flavonoid, ascorbic acid, TSS, and TA contents. The synergistic effects of GG, JO, and OA provide a sustainable alternative to conventional postharvest treatments, aligning with the increasing demand for ecofriendly and consumer-safe preservation methods. Therefore, subsequent studies should focus on optimizing coating formulations and evaluating their scalability for commercial applications, thereby contributing to enhanced postharvest management of limes and other perishable fruits. Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Not applicable Consent for publication Not applicable Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Funding This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Author Contribution Marzieh Shamshami: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Writing- Original draft preparation. Leila Jafari: Supervision, Writing - Review & Editing. Abdolmajid Mirzaalian Dastjerdi: Methodology, Project Administration, Writing-Reviewing and Editing. 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12:40:06","extension":"xml","order_by":21,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":160711,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"514c18ea711c4fc683b0be6e919249591structuring.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7613717/v1/a4b6385dd26d46e749317712.xml"},{"id":96708844,"identity":"5c5414ce-6ffd-4922-a64f-c2bac2bb25e0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-25 10:05:36","extension":"html","order_by":22,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":173943,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"earlyproof.html","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7613717/v1/5d1ee822adca22b8e4a2e7ae.html"},{"id":96630966,"identity":"367dde7f-9def-4c4e-bcc7-19568e8bb3ba","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-24 12:40:06","extension":"jpg","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":129945,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eInteraction effect of edible coatings and storage time on \u003cstrong\u003eA\u003c/strong\u003e weight loss and \u003cstrong\u003eB\u003c/strong\u003e firmness in Mexican lime fruit stored at 8 °C plus 1 day at ambient temperature. Similar letters indicate a non-significant difference at 5% level of probability using LSD's test.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7613717/v1/35f525e08a11e523b4c5ce56.jpg"},{"id":96630967,"identity":"e535a604-8836-4fb4-a329-d98993d16236","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-24 12:40:06","extension":"jpg","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":123937,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eInteraction effect of edible coatings and storage time on \u003cstrong\u003eA\u003c/strong\u003e chilling injury, \u003cstrong\u003eB\u003c/strong\u003e simple effect of storage time and \u003cstrong\u003eC\u003c/strong\u003e treatments on electrolyte leakage, and \u003cstrong\u003eD\u003c/strong\u003e Malondialdehyde in Mexican lime fruit stored at 8 °C plus 1 day at ambient temperature. Similar letters indicate a non-significant difference at 5% level of probability using LSD's test.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7613717/v1/d24f08f6bdb863c93415f5a8.jpg"},{"id":96708923,"identity":"9207fd0e-095a-436e-8e42-9f2474941942","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-25 10:06:19","extension":"jpg","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":125198,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eInteraction effect of edible coatings and \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;storage time on \u003cstrong\u003eA\u003c/strong\u003e total chlorophyll and \u003cstrong\u003eB\u003c/strong\u003e carotenoid content in \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Mexican lime fruit stored at 8 °C plus 1 day at ambient temperature. Similar \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;letters indicate a non-significant difference at 5% level of probability \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;using LSD's test.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7613717/v1/a96812562d067e762dc4cba1.jpg"},{"id":96709258,"identity":"b3c34efc-3104-41f8-8d56-ec62a51b794e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-25 10:08:29","extension":"jpg","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":83696,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eInteraction effect of edible coatings and storage time on ascorbic acid content in Mexican lime fruit stored at 8 °C plus 1 day at ambient temperature. Similar letters indicate a non-significant difference at 5% level of probability using LSD's test.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"4.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7613717/v1/1e6918369a247d8996e6d137.jpg"},{"id":96708839,"identity":"e8f2c515-8091-4fc8-9ed7-e2d90a6a2a87","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-25 10:05:36","extension":"jpg","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":247381,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;Interaction effect of \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;edible coatings and storage time on\u003cstrong\u003e A\u003c/strong\u003e total phenol, \u003cstrong\u003eB\u003c/strong\u003e flavonoid, \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;and \u003cstrong\u003eC\u003c/strong\u003e antioxidant activity in Mexican lime fruit stored at 8 °C plus 1 \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;day at ambient temperature. Similar letters indicate a non-significant \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;difference at 5% level of probability using LSD's test.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"5.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7613717/v1/0a6e3a7cc784cb44aaf652dd.jpg"},{"id":96630978,"identity":"feb6b75b-da28-4d3d-87fc-2c22bf803dd7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-24 12:40:06","extension":"jpg","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":181220,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;Interaction effect of \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;edible coatings and storage time on \u003cstrong\u003eA\u003c/strong\u003e soluble solid content (TSS), \u003cstrong\u003eB\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026nbsp;titratable acidity (TA), and \u003cstrong\u003eC\u003c/strong\u003e pH in Mexican lime fruit stored at 8 °C \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;plus 1 day at ambient temperature. Similar letters indicate a non-significant \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;difference at 5% level of probability using LSD's test.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"6.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7613717/v1/cabcb0915bb8950b1d2f8afd.jpg"},{"id":96708569,"identity":"089f199a-8f77-4102-bb93-17791b30ce1d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-25 10:04:36","extension":"jpg","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":108047,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eThe simple effect of treatments on \u003cstrong\u003eA\u003c/strong\u003e phenylalanine ammonialyase, and \u003cstrong\u003eB \u003c/strong\u003epolyphenol oxidase, and \u003cstrong\u003eC \u003c/strong\u003ethe interaction effect of edible coatings and storage time on peroxidase in Mexican lime fruit stored at 8 °C plus 1 day at ambient temperature. Similar letters indicate a non-significant difference at 5% level of probability using LSD's test.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"7.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7613717/v1/e7f91ed0aad46b0a38e15d7a.jpg"},{"id":96630973,"identity":"d3709df7-8212-4328-b59f-918ef58b72d6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-24 12:40:06","extension":"jpg","order_by":8,"title":"Figure 8","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":88793,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eCorrelation between Mexican lime fruit quality properties. The color gradient ranging from red to blue represents correlation values between -1 and +1. Weight loss (WL),\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirmness (F), decay index (DI), chilling injury (CI), electrolyte leakage (EL), Malon dialdehyde (MDA), acid ascorbic (AsA), total phenol (TP), flavonoid (FLV), antioxidant activity (AA), total soluble solids content (TSS), Titratable acidity (TA), pH, peroxidase activity (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and Phenylalanine Ammonialyase (PAL).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"8.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7613717/v1/d8ac9bc5e27813565ab56e37.jpg"},{"id":96913070,"identity":"5e220d18-e9bd-4383-8db0-01bd01323cc6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-27 13:51:32","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1344959,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7613717/v1/f9e71241-d6e6-4eaf-8bc6-fe2aa4e36ad3.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Extending the Storage Life of Mexican Lime through Guar Gum, Jojoba Oil, and Oleic Acid-Based Coatings","fulltext":[{"header":"Background","content":"\u003cp\u003eMexican lime (\u003cem\u003eCitrus aurantifolia\u003c/em\u003e cv. Mexican lime) is a well-known citrus fruit belonging to the Rutaceae family. It is characterized by smooth skin, a greenish-yellow peel, and high acidity [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]. The extensive cultivation of lime is due to its unique sensory properties, such as flavor and aroma, which make it suitable for use in the food and beverage industries as both a fresh product and a natural flavoring additive.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite the high annual worldwide production of limes and lemons (~\u0026thinsp;23.6\u0026nbsp;million tons), they suffer significant postharvest losses ranging from 18% to 25% owing to their rapid perishability [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. Limes lose marketability within 1\u0026ndash;2 weeks after harvest under ambient conditions. Although cold storage (4\u0026ndash;7\u0026deg;C) can extend their shelf life to 6 weeks by slowing metabolic activity, it increases the risk of chilling injury when temperatures decrease below the critical point and CI symptoms such as peel discoloration, textural degradation, and increased susceptibility to microbial infection compromise fruit quality and market appeal [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. Consequently, techniques that can reduce the adverse effects of cold storage are necessary. In recent years, the development of safe methods for fruit preservation has gained increasing attention. Edible films and coatings are safe and high-potential tools that extend the shelf and storage life of fruits while maintaining their overall quality. There are different types of coatings, including polysaccharides, lipids, and proteins. Polysaccharide-based coatings, such as natural gums, can inhibit physiological and metabolic changes in fruit and delay the decline in fruit quality. Furthermore, these coatings, owing to their antimicrobial characteristics, can help prevent the occurrence of diseases and thereby reduce the damage caused by fruit rot. However, their efficiency depends on the type and nature of the coating [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR6\" citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e]. Previous studies have shown the ability of edible coatings, including xanthan gum [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e], coatings derived from wild sage seeds [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e], and pectin [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e], to improve the quality and storability of lime fruits. Guar gum (GG) is a natural gum derived from the seed endosperm of guar bean (\u003cem\u003eCyamopsis tetragonolobus\u003c/em\u003e). GG, as a galactomannan, has garnered attention because of its unique characteristics, including its high molecular weight, long polymeric chain, presence of bioactive compounds, different physicochemical properties, nontoxic nature, good availability, ability to improve water solubility, antibacterial activity and film-forming ability [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. GG has shown promising results in extending the shelf-life of fruits such as mango [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e], Valencia orange [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e] and sweet cherry [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite their specific physical and chemical characteristics, polysaccharide-based polymers alone still face difficulties in replacing traditional synthetic polymers in the packaging sector. Recent studies have examined the addition of natural additives to these polymers to improve their structural and functional properties. These innovations are important steps toward reducing environmental pollution and promoting sustainable alternatives to packaging. In addition, lipids such as waxes and fatty acids offer better moisture barriers because of their hydrophobic properties but have poor mechanical properties. Oleic acid (OA), a monounsaturated fatty acid, is the main component of olive oil extracted from olive fruit (\u003cem\u003eOlea europaea\u003c/em\u003e, Oleaceae family) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]. OA enhances the water-barrier properties of hydrophilic films by reducing the water vapor permeability due to its lipid nature and liquid form at ambient temperature. It is highly miscible with polysaccharide matrices, such as chitosan [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e] and tara gum [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e]. Additionally, incorporating an optimal amount of OA can improve the antimicrobial activity of chitosan coatings and influence fruit quality [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJojoba oil (JO), extracted from the \u003cem\u003eSimmondsia chinensis\u003c/em\u003e plant, is a promising edible coating that contains natural antioxidants such as α-, β-, and δ-tocopherols; therefore, it is resistant to oxidation. It is odorless, colorless, nonvolatile, and free from rancidity. JO is an ester of long-chain fatty acids and monovalent long-chain alcohols. Thus, it is referred to as wax or oil wax and is used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries because of its antibiotic properties [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]. JO creates a protective layer on the fruit surface, which helps reduce moisture loss and prevents microbial penetration in stored fruits. JO has been shown to improve the quality of mango [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e], guava [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e] and peach [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e] fruits by slowing water loss, improving the external skin layer, and regulating gas permeability and the transpiration rate.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural plant substances also include phenolic compounds that have beneficial biologically active properties, including antibacterial and antioxidant activities, which make them safe for human health and environmentally sustainable. This work therefore aimed to evaluate the efficacy of GG, OA and JO as safe postharvest preservatives for the control of postharvest quality and for the extension of the life of Mexican lime fruits.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Materials and Methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eRaw materials\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eMexican lime (\u003cem\u003eCitrus aurantifolia\u003c/em\u003e cv. Mexican lime) at the maturity stage was purchased from a commercial orchard in Jahrom (28\u0026deg; 29' 39\" N/53\u0026deg; 33' 29\" E), Fars Province, Iran. GG (Sigma Aldrich, UK), OA (Merck, Germany), JO (Samana Oils, Iran), and glycerol (Merck, Germany) were used to prepare the edible coatings.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePreparation and application of treatments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo prepare a 2% GG coating, 20 g of GG powder was accurately weighed and dissolved in 1000 mL of distilled water. The mixture was stirred vigorously for 30 min at 60\u0026deg;C to avoid clump formation and ensure complete dissolution of the GG. Then, 20 mL of glycerol (Sigma Aldrich, UK) and 10 mL of Tween 80 (Sigma Aldrich, UK) were added to the solution at 60\u0026deg;C as a plasticizer and emulsifier, respectively. The mixture was homogenized until fully incorporated and allowed to cool to room temperature [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e]. To prepare the JO coating (1% v/v), 10 mL of JO was mixed with 5 mL of Tween 80, and the volume was adjusted to 1000 mL with distilled water. Similarly, an OA coating (1% v/v) was prepared by dissolving 10 mL of OA in 5 mL of Tween 80, diluting it with distilled water to a final volume of 1000 mL, and then mixing the solution vigorously with a homogenizer [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe selected lime fruits used in this experiment were uniform in size, color, and maturity level and were free from visible damage, disease, or decay. A total of 1080 lime fruits were randomly divided into six treatment groups. Each group was sampled at five time points (1, 20, 40, 60, and 80 days), with three replications and nine fruits per replication. Before treatment, the fruits were sanitized by soaking in a 1% sodium hypochlorite solution for one minute, rinsing with distilled water and air-drying at room temperature. The fruits were subsequently immersed in one of the following solutions for two minutes: distilled water (control), GG, OA, JO, GG/JO, or GG/OA. After treatment, the fruits were air-dried at room temperature. Afterward, each treatment was individually packaged in plastic containers and stored at 8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1\u0026deg;C with a relative humidity of 90\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5%. The first assessment of fruit quality was conducted one day after treatment, while the subsequent assessments were performed at 20, 40, 60, and 80 days of storage. Additionally, the fruits were held at room temperature for one day to simulate commercial conditions, after which the qualitative characteristics were measured.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWeight loss\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo measure weight loss, the initial weights of the samples (W\u003csub\u003e0\u003c/sub\u003e) and their weights at 20, 40, 60, and 80 days (W\u003csub\u003et\u003c/sub\u003e) were recorded, and the WL (%) at each time point was determined via the following formula: WL (%) = [(W₀ \u0026minus; Wₜ)/W₀] \u0026times; 100.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFirmness\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe firmness (N) was evaluated via an Instron Universal Testing Machine (Model 53205, Turoni, Italy). Two points on each fruit were selected, an 8 mm diameter probe was pressed into the fruit to a depth of 3 mm at a constant speed of 5 mm/s, and the force required (N) was recorded.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDecay Index\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe decay index (%) was quantified by calculating the percentage of rotted lime fruits (with visible mycelial growth on the surface) in each treatment independently via the following formula: decay index % = (number of decayed fruits at the time of sampling/number of initial fruits) \u0026times; 100.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eChilling Injury\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe occurrence of CI in lime fruit was assessed by counting the total number of fruits displaying CI symptoms, which included irregular brown lesions, yellow water-soaked spots, or even sunken areas on the fruit peel [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eElectrolyte leakage\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElectrolyte leakage (EL) was assessed using 4 g of fresh lime peel, which was soaked in 40 mL of distilled water and shaken for 4 hours at room temperature. The initial EL level (EL\u003csub\u003ei\u003c/sub\u003e) was measured via a digital electrical conductivity meter (Weinheim, Germany). The samples were subsequently boiled at 100\u0026deg;C for 30 minutes and cooled to 20\u0026deg;C, after which the secondary EL (EL\u003csub\u003es\u003c/sub\u003e) was recorded. EL (%) was determined via the following formula: ([(EL\u003csub\u003es\u003c/sub\u003e - EL\u003csub\u003ei\u003c/sub\u003e)/EL\u003csub\u003es\u003c/sub\u003e] \u0026times; 100) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMalondialdehyde content\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLipid peroxidation was evaluated by measuring the malondialdehyde (MDA) content following the method described by Pasquariello et al., [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e]. In this procedure, 1 g of lime peel was blended with 2 mL of 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.2) and then centrifuged (15 min at 14,000 \u0026times; g and 4\u0026deg;C). Subsequently, 1000 \u0026micro;L of a 20% trichloroacetic acid solution containing 0.5% thiobarbituric acid was added to 1000 \u0026micro;L of the supernatant. The mixture was heated at 95\u0026deg;C for 30 minutes, then allowed to cool to room temperature and centrifuged again (5 minutes at 1000 \u0026times; g and 4\u0026deg;C). The absorbance of the reaction mixture was measured at 532 and 600 nm (microplate spectrophotometer, Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAscorbic acid\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ascorbic acid content was measured with slight modifications according to the method described by O'Grady et al., [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e]. One milliliter of fruit juice was mixed with 9 mL of metaphosphoric acid (1%), shaken for 1 minute, and sonicated in cold water for 3 minutes. Then, 1 mL of the resulting mixture was blended with 4 mL of 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol solution (0.0025%) and incubated in the dark for 10 minutes. The absorbance was measured at 515 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA). Ascorbic acid was expressed as mg ascorbic acid per 100 g of fresh weight (mg 100 g\u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e FW) on the basis of an ascorbic acid standard curve (0\u0026ndash;500 mg L\u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTotal phenol and flavonoid contents\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe total phenol content (mg GA 100 g \u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e FW) was assessed calorimetrically on the basis of a standard curve of gallic acid [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e]. Lime juice methanolic extract (300 \u0026micro;L) and 10% diluted Folin\u0026ndash;Ciocalteu reagent (1500 \u0026micro;L) were mixed and incubated for 5 min at room temperature. Then, 7% sodium carbonate (1200 \u0026micro;L) was added, and the mixture was placed on a shaker in the dark for 90 minutes at room temperature. The absorbances of the samples and the gallic acid standards were read at 750 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe aluminum chloride colorimetric method and the standard curve of quercetin (0\u0026ndash;500 mg/L) were used to assess the flavonoid content [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e]. Lime juice (500 \u0026micro;L) was mixed with 85% methanol (1200 \u0026micro;L), 10% aluminum chloride (100 \u0026micro;L), 1 M potassium acetate (100 \u0026micro;L), and distilled water (2800 \u0026micro;L). The mixture was subsequently incubated in the dark at ambient temperature for 30 minutes. The absorbances of the samples and the quercetin standards were measured at 414 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA). The flavonoid content was expressed as mg quercetin per 100 g of fresh weight (mg Q100 g\u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e FW) on the basis of the quercetin standard curve (0\u0026ndash;500 mg L\u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAntioxidant activity\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe free radical scavenging DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method was used to evaluate the antioxidant activity of lime fruit. Lime juice methanolic extract (100 \u0026micro;L) was mixed with 900 \u0026micro;L of DPPH (0.1 mM) and incubated for 30 minutes in the dark at ambient temperature. The absorbances of the samples and the control were measured at 414 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA). The antioxidant activity (A) of the extracts was calculated via the following formula: ([(A Control\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;A Sample)/A Control] \u0026times; 100) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSoluble solids content, titratable acidity, and pH\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe TSS (%) was determined via a digital refractometer (DBR95, Taiwan), and the TA (%) was determined via titration of the diluted fruit juice (1/5 mL) to pH 8.2 with 0.1 N NaOH.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePhenylalanine Ammonialyase, Polyphenol Oxidase, and Peroxidase Activity\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003ePhenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity was estimated according to the method described by Kov\u0026aacute;čik and Klejdus, [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e] with slight modifications. Fresh lime peel samples (0.3 g) were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and homogenized in 2 mL of cold sodium borate buffer (pH 8.8) containing beta-mercaptoethanol as a stabilizing agent. The homogenate was immediately centrifuged at 12,000 \u0026times; g for 15 minutes at 4\u0026deg;C to separate the supernatants containing the enzyme. The reaction mixture, consisting of 500 \u0026micro;L of buffer, 350 \u0026micro;L of homogenate, and 300 \u0026micro;L of 50 mM L-phenylalanine, was incubated at 40\u0026deg;C for 60 minutes. The reaction was stopped by adding 50 \u0026micro;L of 5 N HCl, and the absorbance was measured spectrophotometrically at 290 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFresh lime peel samples (1 g) were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and homogenized in 5 mL of cold potassium phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7.0). The homogenate was immediately centrifuged at 12,000 \u0026times; g for 15 minutes at 4\u0026deg;C to separate the supernatants containing the enzymes for polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) assessment. The reaction mixture used to assess PPO activity included 500 \u0026micro;L of buffer, 100 \u0026micro;L of supernatant, 200 \u0026micro;L of pyrogallol (0.02 M), and 2.7 mL of potassium phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7.0). The absorbance was measured at 420 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA), and the enzyme activity was expressed as UL\u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]. A reaction mixture including the supernatant (300 \u0026micro;L), 100 \u0026micro;L guaiacol (4%), \u0026micro;L H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (1%), and 2.77 mL potassium phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7) was used to assay POD activity [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. The sample's absorbance was read at 470 nm (Epoch, Bio-Tek, USA), and the enzyme activity was expressed as UL\u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eStatistical analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA factorial experiment was conducted with a complete randomized design (CRD). The factors included six treatments (three replications and nine fruits per replication) and five storage times. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out via SAS software (version 9.1). Mean comparisons were performed via the least significant difference (LSD) test to determine significant differences among treatments at \u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05. Heatmap clustering analysis was conducted with R statistical software (R.3.3.2).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWeight loss\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe WL of the fruit was significantly affected by the treatments during the storage period (20\u0026ndash;80 days) (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003eA). After 20 days, the control treatment had the maximum WL (5.03%), while the GG/OA treatment had the minimum percentage (3.21%). On day 40, the OA treatment resulted in the highest WL (10.19%), whereas the GG/JO treatment resulted in the lowest percentage (6.87%). On day 60, the control treatment had the highest WL (9.99%), and the GG/OA coating had the lowest value (7.32%). Finally, the control presented the highest WL (14.12%), while the lowest was observed in the GG/OA treatment (9.53%).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eDecay\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur analysis revealed a significant effect of storage time on the probability of fruit decay in Mexican lime (\u003cem\u003eP\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05\u003c/em\u003e). The estimated log odds of decay increased over time, indicating an increasing decay rate during storage. After 20 days, the estimated log odds ratio was \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1.82, corresponding to a mean decay probability of 13.9%. This probability reached 29.1%, and the increase was significant until 40 days. On day 60, the mean decay probability reached 44.3%. The estimated mean probability of decay ultimately reached 54.9%, which was not significantly different from that on day 60 (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.24) (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e). Additionally, on the basis of the results of the GLIMMIX model with a logit link function, different coating treatments produced significant differences in controlling fruit decay (\u003cem\u003eP\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05\u003c/em\u003e). The actual probability of decay in fruits treated with edible coatings was lower than that in the control. The combined treatment of guar gum\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;oleic acid resulted in the lowest decay rate, with a probability of 26.29%, which was not significantly different from that of the other coating treatments. Moreover, the control treatment resulted in the highest decay rate of 31.57% (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLogit estimates and mean decay probabilities (\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SE) of Mexican lime fruit during storage.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStorage Time (day)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEstimate\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePr \u0026gt;|t|\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-1.82\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.0001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.93\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.03 c\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.89\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.18\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.0001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29.11\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.04 b\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.23\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.16\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.16\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e44.28\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.04 a\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e80\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.20\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.16\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e54.88\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.04 a\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSimilar letters indicate a non-significant difference at 5% level of probability using LSD's test.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLogit estimates and mean decay probabilities (\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SE) of Mexican lime fruit under different edible coating treatments during storage.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTreatment\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEstimate\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;ER\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePr \u0026gt;|t|\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;ER\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eControl\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.29\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.21\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.160\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e57.31\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.05 a\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGuar gum\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.82\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.23\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30.57\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.95 b\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eJojoba oil\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.93\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.23\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28.26\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.73 b\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOleic Acid\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-1.03\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.0001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.29\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.64 b\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGuar Gum/ Jojoba oil\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.82\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.23\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30.59\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.94 b\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGuar Gum/ Oleic Acid\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.81\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.23\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30.78\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.91 b\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSimilar letters indicate a non-significant difference at 5% level of probability using LSD's test.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec20\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFirmness\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results revealed that treatment, storage time, and their combination had a significant effect on firmness (\u003cem\u003eP\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05\u003c/em\u003e). A decreasing trend in firmness was observed for all the treatments throughout the storage time, while the highest values were recorded on the first day after treatment, and the lowest values were recorded on day 80. The control exhibited a notable decline in firmness from 78 N to 41 N over time. The GG/OA maintained the greatest firmness among the treatments, decreasing from 79 N on day 1 to 61 N on day 80. Additionally, the firmness of the plants in the other treatment groups was significantly greater than that of the control plants (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003eB).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec21\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eChilling Injury\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003eA, no CI symptoms were visible during the first 20 days of storage. After this period, however, CI became progressively more apparent in all the treatment groups as the storage time increased. By day 40, the GG/JO treatment had the most severe CI, whereas the GG/OA treatment had the least severe CI, with a considerable difference of over 50% between the two. When storage was extended to 60 and 80 days, the untreated fruits (control) presented the greatest CI severity. In contrast, all the coated samples experienced notably less damage. Interestingly, the GG-treated fruits presented the lowest CI on day 60, whereas on day 80, the best results were observed in the GG/JO group. These findings suggest that applying edible coatings can be valuable in minimizing chilling-related damage during extended cold storage.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec22\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eElectrolyte leakage\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnalysis of variance indicated that only the main effects of storage time and treatment were statistically significant for EL, whereas their interaction effect was not significant (\u003cem\u003eP\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05\u003c/em\u003e). As shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003eB, EL increased significantly over the storage period, reaching a maximum of 99.87% on day 80. Moreover, all coating treatments significantly reduced the EL compared with that of the control. Among these treatments, the GG/JO and GG/OA treatments resulted in the greatest reductions, with EL values 15.44 and 13.07% lower than those of the control, respectively (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003eC).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec23\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMalondialdehyde content\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003eD, the MDA levels increased progressively during storage. The most significant increase in the MDA content was observed in the untreated fruits. Initially, no significant differences were detected among the treatments. After 20 days of storage, fruits treated with GG presented the smallest increase in the MDA content (40.05%), whereas OA-treated fruits presented the greatest increase (51.46%). By day 40, all the treatments except JO had lower MDA levels than did the control. After 60 days, the highest MDA concentration (2.35 ng/g FW) was recorded in untreated fruit, whereas the GG and GG/OA combination had the lowest MDA. At the end of the storage period, the lowest and highest MDA contents were found in the GG/JO (2.23 ng/g FW) and untreated fruits (2.75 ng/g FW), respectively.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec24\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eChlorophyll and Carotenoid Contents\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003eA, the total chlorophyll content gradually decreased as storage progressed. At the beginning of the storage period, there were no significant differences among the treatments. However, by day 20, fruits in the untreated fruit (0.58 mg/100 g FW), GG (0.55 mg/100 g FW), and JO (0.57 mg/100 g FW) treatments retained more chlorophyll than the other fruits did, although the differences were not statistically significant. By day 60, there were no significant differences among the treatments. The GG/OA- and GG/JO-treated fruits maintained higher chlorophyll contents than did the other treatment groups. On the other hand, the carotenoid content generally tended to increase throughout the storage period, suggesting that as the chlorophyll content decreased. No significant differences were detected among the treatments at the beginning of storage. On days 20, 40, and 60, the GG, OA, and combined treatment groups presented the lowest carotenoid levels. By the end of the storage period, fruits treated with GG (0.76 mg/100 g FW) or GG/OA (0.71 mg/100 g FW) presented lower carotenoid contents than those in the other treatments did (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003eB).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec25\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAscorbic acid\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, the ascorbic acid content in all the treatments decreased significantly over the 80-day storage period. Storage time, treatment, and their interaction had significant effects on ascorbic acid retention (\u003cem\u003eP\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05\u003c/em\u003e). On day 1, the highest value was recorded in fruits treated with GG (50.25 mg 100⁻\u0026sup1; g FW), whereas the lowest values were observed in the control and JO treatments (both 48.75 mg). By day 20, a noticeable reduction was observed across all the treatments. The GG coating maintained the highest level (48.92 mg), which was significantly greater than that of the control. The lowest value at this stage was detected in the GG/JO treatment (40.58 mg). On day 40, the GG/OA treatment resulted in the highest amount of ascorbic acid (48.08 mg), followed by the GG treatment (46.42 mg). By day 60, the GG/OA treatment resulted in the highest level of ascorbic acid (39.59 mg), whereas the control sharply decreased to 34.01 mg. On day 80, the lowest ascorbic acid content was found in the control (29.85 mg). Fruits treated with GG/OA (35.10 mg) or GG/JO (34.60 mg) presented significantly greater levels, with no significant difference between the two combined treatments.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec26\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTotal phenol and flavonoid contents\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003eA, the TPC of all the treatments decreased significantly over the 80-day storage period (\u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). Initially, there were no significant differences among the treatments. However, by day 20, the phenolic content of the GG-treated fruit (181.78 mg GAE 100 g\u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e FW) substantially decreased, whereas the GG/OA-treated fruit presented the highest phenolic content (243.61 mg). On day 40, the GG/OA treatment resulted in the highest TPC (256.33 mg), followed by the GG/JO (231.37 mg) and GG (207.33 mg) treatments. On the other hand, the control and JO treatments had the lowest values (181.45 and 176.33 mg, respectively). By day 60, GG/OA (170.67 mg) and GG/JO (165.45 mg) maintained significantly greater levels than did the control (120.94 mg). At the end of storage (day 80), the GG treatment had the lowest TPC (72.22 mg), whereas the GG/OA treatment had the highest TPC (133.56 mg), followed by the GG/JO (108.95 mg) and GG (103.56 mg) treatments.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe data in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003eB show that storage time, treatment, and their interaction significantly influenced the flavonoid content (\u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). The changes in flavonoid levels closely matched those in TPC. On the first day, there were no significant differences among the treatments. By day 60, however, all the treatments except for GG/OA and GG/JO resulted in a significant decline in flavonoid content. After 80 days, the GG/OA treatment resulted in the maximum flavonoid content and the lowest reduction (1.55%) compared with the initial value.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec27\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAntioxidant activity\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results of the antioxidant activity measurements over the 80-day storage period indicated that storage time, treatment, and their interaction had significant effects on the antioxidant activity (\u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). On the first day, no significant differences were observed among the treatments. On day 20, the antioxidant activity significantly decreased in all the treatments except for the OA treatment, which presented a 3.83% increase and presented the highest activity (73.23%), which was significantly greater than that in the other treatments. The antioxidant activity in the OA treatment remained the highest on day 40 (69.61%). The declining trend continued through day 60, when the OA and control treatments presented the highest (48.76%) and lowest (29.57%) percentages, respectively. At the end of the storage period, the control treatment had the lowest antioxidant activity (20.63%), while the OA treatment had the highest value (38.16%) (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003eC).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec28\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSoluble solids content, titratable acidity and pH\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eStorage time, treatment, and their interaction significantly influenced the TSS, TA, and pH values (\u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). As shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003eA, by day 20, the TSS content had decreased in all the treatments compared with that on the first day, except for the GG/OA ratio. By day 40, a significant increase in TSS was recorded in most treatments, and the OA (11.09%) and GG/JO (10.48%) treatments presented the highest TSS values. During the later stages of storage (60 and 80 days), all the treatments presented higher TSS levels than did the control, while the GG/OA-treated fruits presented significantly greater TSS contents than did those in the other treatments.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003eB, TA decreased significantly over the storage period. Initially, there were no significant differences among the treatments. By day 20, TA levels had decreased in all the samples, but the JO treatment still had the highest value (7.8%), which was significantly greater than that of the control (6.1%). On day 40, the control had the highest TA (6.8%), while the OA treatment had the lowest (5.3%). After 60 days, the GG treatment resulted in the lowest TA (5.5%), whereas the GG/OA treatment resulted in the highest value (7%). Finally, the control had the lowest TA (4.3%), while the OA treatment had the highest value (5.5%). However, there were no significant differences among the treated fruits. As depicted in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003eC, there were no significant differences in pH among the treatments at the start of the experiment. After 20 days of storage, the highest pH was recorded in the JO-treated fruit. At 40 and 60 days, the highest pH values were observed in the control and GG-treated fruits, with no significant differences between them. However, by the end of the storage period, these two treatments presented significantly lower pH values than did the other treatments.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec29\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePolyphenol oxidase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase and peroxidase activity\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnalysis of variance revealed that only the treatment effect on PPO and PAL activities was statistically significant (\u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). In contrast, the main effects of time, treatment, and their interaction significantly influenced POD activity (\u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). As shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;7A, all treated fruits presented lower PPO activity than did the control, with the GG/OA treatment resulting in the lowest PPO activity. In contrast, all the treated fruits presented greater PAL activity than did the control fruits. The results revealed that, compared with the JO and GG/JO treatments, the GG treatment was more effective at increasing PAL activity, although this difference was not statistically significant (Fig.\u0026nbsp;7B).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe POD activity in all the treatments significantly decreased over the 80-day storage period. On day 1, there were no significant differences among the treatments. By day 20, all the treatments resulted in a significant decrease in POD activity. At this time, the GG/OA treatment had the highest POD activity (69.67 UL⁻\u0026sup1;). On day 40, the JO treatment resulted in the highest POD activity (65.32 UL). The decrease in POD activity continued through day 60; at that time, the JO treatment resulted in the highest activity at 61.77 UL⁻\u0026sup1;, whereas the control treatment resulted in the lowest activity at 36.04 UL⁻\u0026sup1;. By the end of the storage period on day 80, the GG/OA treatment had the highest POD activity (46.71 UL⁻\u0026sup1;), which was not significantly different from that of the OA treatment (42.09 UL⁻\u0026sup1;) (Fig.\u0026nbsp;7C).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCorrelation\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;8, the statistical relationships between the quality traits of the Mexican lime fruit were illustrated through correlation analysis. The correlation coefficients range from \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1 to +\u0026thinsp;1, which indicates the direction and strength of the relationships among traits. The color gradient ranges from red to blue. Red tones indicate a positive correlation between variables, whereas blue tones represent a negative correlation. The heatmap of the correlation matrix presents the statistical relationships among the physiological, biochemical, and quality-related traits of the fruit. The results revealed significant positive and negative correlations among several traits. Stress- and senescence-related parameters such as PPO, the decay index, CI, WL, TA, and EL were strongly positively correlated with each other (r\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.70). These associations suggest that an increase in one stress indicator is likely accompanied by increases in other related stress symptoms, which can lead to quality deterioration during storage. In contrast, antioxidant compounds, including AsA, total phenols, flavonoids, and the activities of defense-related enzymes such as PAL and POD, along with the total antioxidant activity, formed a distinct cluster and were strongly positively correlated (r\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.80). These traits represent the fruit\u0026rsquo;s biochemical defense mechanisms against oxidative stress. Additionally, significant negative correlations were detected between oxidative damage indicators (PPO, DI, EL, and MDA) and antioxidant components (AsA, phenol, POD, etc.) (r \u0026lt; -0.70). These findings indicate that the decrease in membrane integrity and lipid peroxidation is linked to a decrease in the antioxidant activity of the fruit. Overall, these findings suggest that treatments that improve antioxidant content and enzymatic defense responses effectively reduce physiological disorders and oxidative damage and improve fruit quality and storability during postharvest storage.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eDuring storage, fruits primarily lose weight due to physiological and physical processes such as transpiration, evaporation, and respiration. In this work, GG, OA, JO, and their combination were applied as edible coatings. Among these, GG/OA led to the most significant reduction in WL. Edible coatings mitigate WL by forming a gel-like layer that reduces moisture loss from the fruit surface. Additionally, they moderate gas exchange, particularly that of oxygen and carbon dioxide, thereby lowering the respiration rate and subsequently reducing the WL [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. Our results revealed that GG and GG/Eremurus in pomegranate [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e], GG/Aloe vera in mango [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e], GG/chitosan in mushroom [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e], and GG/ginseng extract in sweet cherry [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e] significantly reduced weight loss in stored fruit. OA is a fatty acid commonly used in the formulation of edible coatings. When applied as part of a coating, it forms a thin, hydrophobic layer on the fruit surface, which reduces water loss by minimizing transpiration and evaporation processes that significantly contribute to WL in fruits [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e]. The synergistic effect of edible coatings such as chitosan with OA [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e] or Arabic gum with OA [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e] has been reported to produce more compact and homogenous coating matrices. These improved film structures reduce the number of pores and cracks in the film and, consequently, decrease fruit weight loss [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFurthermore, the use of pea starch and GG blended with a lipid mixture (shellac and OA) in 'Valencia' oranges was the most effective at reducing the fruit respiration rate, ethylene production, and WL during storage [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. In addition, the application of JO as an edible coating has shown promising effects in reducing postharvest WL in various fruits, such as peach [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e] and pear [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e]. These effects are attributed to the incorporation of lipids such as JO into hydrophilic biopolymer-based films, which enhances their barrier and protective characteristics. Moreover, the physical state of the lipid component plays a critical role in determining film performance, as water has a greater affinity for liquid lipids than for solid lipids [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFruit decay is widely considered one of the leading causes of postharvest losses, often resulting from natural ripening or microbial contamination. Typically, the decline in the quality of fruits can be attributed to fungal pathogens, which thrive because of high levels of moisture and nutrients and low pH [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, efforts to find eco-friendly substances to fight against pathogens have increased in recent decades. Some new biosource materials, such as biodegradable films and edible coatings based on plant and animal substances, have shown great potential for reducing fruit microbial decay [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e]. Our results showed that GG and edible oil-based coatings can reduce the percentage of decay, probably because of their ability to reduce the activity of pathogens or delay the ripening process. Accordingly, the use of gum Arabic, JO, and moringa oil on pear [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e] and pea starch and GG blended with a lipid mixture (shellac and OA) on 'Valencia' oranges [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e] generally reduces the fruit decay rate. The beneficial effects of plant oils have been observed by applying JO to peach fruits [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e], mango fruits [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e], and guava fruits [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e]. JO likely influences the percentage of decay by postponing senescence and reducing the impact of enzymes (PPOs) by restricting the movement and exchange of oxygen and inhibiting the effects of ethylene, ultimately leading to a lower decay percentage in fruits. Additionally, the use of JO could increase the content of phenolic compounds, which are a significant defense against the attack of fresh products by microorganisms [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]. Additionally, JO can serve as a natural preservative in food because of its antibacterial properties against specific microorganisms, such as \u003cem\u003eEscherichia coli\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eKlebsiella species\u003c/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eStaphylococcus aureus\u003c/em\u003e [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFirmness, which represents the structural integrity of cell walls and tissues, is a crucial quality parameter in fruit. Loss of firmness is often due to the enzymatic breakdown of pectin and cellulose in the cell wall. Additionally, as a fruit loses water, the cell turgor pressure decreases, leading to a loss of firmness. Therefore, fruit firmness is closely tied to the structural integrity of the fruit's cell walls and water content. Many fruits have a critical weight loss percentage beyond which their firmness rapidly deteriorates. Consequently, edible coatings can form a protective layer that reduces water permeability and helps prevent fruit softening, affects the activity of polygalacturonase and pectin methyl esterase enzymes [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e], and reduces respiration rates [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e], which postpones fruit ripening. Our results demonstrated a decrease in firmness in Mexican lime fruit throughout storage. However, these effects significantly decreased, which is consistent with the results of the application of GG and GG/Eremurus to pomegranate [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e], GG/Aloe vera to mango [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e], GG/ginseng extract to sweet cherry [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e], pea starch and GG/OA to 'Valencia' [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e] and JO to peach [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e] and pear fruits [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCI often disrupts cell membrane fluidity and increases membrane permeability. Edible coatings can help reduce CI symptoms by creating a protective barrier and modulating physiological and biochemical processes. Our results indicated that the combination of GG, OA, and JO effectively reduced CI symptoms. This reduction was supported by lower EL and MDA contents. GG and JO act as semipermeable coatings, whereas OA forms a thin, hydrophobic layer that helps minimize oxidative stress during low-temperature storage[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e]. These coatings maintain membrane integrity by preventing lipid degradation and stabilizing cellular structures [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e]. On the other hand, GG can improve the antioxidant defense system by affecting antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), POD, catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). This response counteracts the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are typically elevated during chilling stress [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e]. GGs are often combined with other substances to improve their effectiveness and are used in postharvest management to reduce the CI of fruits such as pear [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e], Ponkan fruit [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e], and mango [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e], resulting in a decrease in the degree of lipid peroxidation (MDA content). GG and GG/ginseng effectively prevented the increase in the MDA content, indicating that GG and GG- ginseng could maintain membrane integrity by reducing the degradation of cell wall polysaccharides owing to the formation of an oxygen barrier that is responsible for lipid peroxidation [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. Furthermore, GG, when used as a postharvest coating, can improve enzymatic antioxidant activities (SOD, CAT, POD, and APX), which help reduce oxidative damage [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e]. OA supports membrane stability by preventing electrolyte leakage and delaying the browning of enzymes, a common CI symptom, by acting as a physical barrier and reducing oxidative stress[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]. JO contains natural antioxidants such as tocopherols [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e48\u003c/span\u003e], which help protect against low-temperature-induced stress by modulating the activities of PPO, POD, CAT, and APX [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrevious studies have indicated that Mexican limes are typically harvested and marketed when their peel is green, as this appearance is generally accepted by consumers [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e]. However, chlorophyll breakdown throughout cold storage leads to peel yellowing, which negatively affects the visual appeal and commercial value of the fruit. Our study investigated the application of edible coatings to conserve the green color of lime peels during storage. Coatings formulated with natural gums such as guar gum, alone or in combination with OA or JO, were effective in maintaining peel color during the storage period. Similar findings have been reported in guava, where an Arabic gum-based coating enriched with OA significantly delayed chlorophyll degradation [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]. This may be explained by the ability of the coating to reduce the respiration rate and ethylene production, which play key roles in fruit ripening. For example, in tomatoes, Arabic gum has been shown to form a semipermeable barrier that slows gas exchange, thereby delaying ripening. Such coatings may also change the internal atmosphere of the fruit, increasing CO₂ concentrations, which could help preserve the green pigments [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e]. The application of carnauba wax in combination with galactomannan to guava fruit delayed chlorophyll degradation and reduced the synthesis of carotenoid pigments. This effect is likely due to the slowing of the respiration process, which in turn reduces fruit metabolism and ripening, resulting in a delay in the color changes associated with ripening [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e51\u003c/span\u003e]. Similarly, the use of xanthan gum on mango reduces the activity of enzymes associated with chlorophyll degradation, thereby maintaining a green color and preventing the accumulation of carotenoids [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e]. In summary, these results suggest that coatings based on natural gums, especially in combination with oils, can be valuable tools for generating a green color and slowing changes that usually accompany ripening.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePhenolic compounds are essential because of their antioxidant properties, flavor, and overall nutritional value, and they are generally reduced as a result of oxidation. This is especially important during prolonged storage, where fruits might suffer significant decreases in phenolic content due to oxidation. Data analysis indicated that GG alone was ineffective in lowering total phenol but significantly inhibited the degradation of flavonoids and ascorbic acid. However, incorporating OA and JO helped mitigate the alterations in all these compounds. Studies have shown that beeswax\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;naphthalene acetic acid can increase the retention of antioxidants, phenolic content, and hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity in both the peel and pulp of lemon [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e52\u003c/span\u003e]. On the basis of our findings, GG-based edible coatings enriched with fennel, bay leaf, coriander, and nigella seed extracts effectively maintain the levels of antioxidants, ascorbic acid, total phenolics, and flavonoids in lemon fruit [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e53\u003c/span\u003e]. These edible coatings can reduce the permeability of oxygen and other gases, slowing the oxidative degradation of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities. Our results indicated that GG, OA, JO, and their combination decreased PPO activity, whereas PAL activity increased. Gum edible coatings have been reported to inhibit PPO and POD in fruits. OA improves the hydrophobicity of coatings, ensuring better adherence and reducing respiration rates. A reduction in the oxidative degradation of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid due to limited oxygen and enzyme activity has been reported when chitosan/OA is used in strawberry [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e]; gum arabic/chitosan in mango [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e]; and gum arabic, OA, and cinnamon essential oils in guava [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]. JO is a wax ester with excellent stability and film-forming properties. These properties help form a semipermeable barrier that balances gas exchange and minimizes enzymatic oxidation. JO coating treatments effectively reduce the loss of ascorbic acid in mango [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e], peach [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e], and guava [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e] during cold storage. The preservation of ascorbic acid in coated fruits is likely related to reduced respiration rates and lower oxidation levels. These effects may result from the reduction in PPO activity, along with increases in POD, CAT, and APX activities during cold storage [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring fruit ripening, changes in TSSs and TAs are key indicators of quality. An increase in the TSS over time is often due to moisture loss, the breakdown of complex carbohydrates, and the activity of hydrolytic enzymes. In contrast, a decrease in TA is commonly linked to a decrease in fruit flavor and overall postharvest quality [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e]. Sugars and organic acids typically decrease over time as a result of metabolic activities such as respiration, which leads to changes in the TSS, TA, and pH [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e56\u003c/span\u003e]. Edible coatings have been reported to reduce the increase in TSS and delay the decrease in TA by suppressing respiration. By reducing the metabolic rate, these coatings limit starch degradation and help maintain higher TSS levels over time. Our findings are consistent with previous studies in which coatings such as GG and CMC coatings on mango [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e], GG-GSE and GG coatings on sweet cherry [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e], chitosan/GG coatings on mushroom [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e], and GG/\u003cem\u003eSpiria platensis\u003c/em\u003e coatings on mango [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e] effectively delayed the increase in TSS and the decrease in TA during storage and shelf-life.. The reduction in fruit acidity during the ripening process is linked to the loss of organic acids such as citric or malic acid, which are recognized as the primary substrates for respiration [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e]. The application of GG-GSE coatings on sweet cherries has been reported to reduce the respiration rate, which may be responsible for delaying the ripening process, preserving TA and slowing the increase in TSS [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. During fruit ripening, the concentration of soluble sugars typically increases. However, many of these sugars are utilized in respiration, often leading to stable or only slightly increased sugar levels [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e]. JO also has a positive effect on various chemical and physical properties of fruits. When used as a coating, JO helps maintain TA and results in significantly lower TSS values in peach [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e], mango [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e], guava [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e], and pear fruits [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe combination of GG, JO, and OA as a composite coating has demonstrated considerable potential for extending the storage life of Mexican lime. This innovative approach successfully reduced weight loss, retained firmness, and preserved essential quality attributes such as total phenol, flavonoid, ascorbic acid, TSS, and TA contents. The synergistic effects of GG, JO, and OA provide a sustainable alternative to conventional postharvest treatments, aligning with the increasing demand for ecofriendly and consumer-safe preservation methods. Therefore, subsequent studies should focus on optimizing coating formulations and evaluating their scalability for commercial applications, thereby contributing to enhanced postharvest management of limes and other perishable fruits.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ch2\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFunding\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eMarzieh Shamshami: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Writing- Original draft preparation. Leila Jafari:\u0026nbsp;Supervision, Writing - Review \u0026amp; Editing. Abdolmajid Mirzaalian Dastjerdi:\u0026nbsp;Methodology, Project Administration, Writing-Reviewing and Editing.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Availability\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCruz-Valenzuela MR, Tapia-Rodriguez MR, Vazquez-Armenta FJ, Silva-Espinoza BA, Ayala-Zavala JF. Lime (\u003cem\u003eCitrus aurantifolia\u003c/em\u003e) oils. Essential oils in food preservation, flavor and safety. 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Sci Hort. 2018;233:114\u0026ndash;23. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2018.01.036\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1016/j.scienta.2018.01.036\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-plant-biology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"pbio","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Plant Biology](http://bmcplantbiol.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/pbio/default.aspx","title":"BMC Plant Biology","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Chilling injury, Edible coatings, Phenolic compounds, Postharvest","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7613717/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7613717/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe loss of postharvest quality due to chilling injury is critical for fresh fruits. Edible coatings have proven to be a convenient approach for fruit preservation. This research investigated the application of different edible coatings, guar gum (GG), jojoba oil (JO), oleic acid (OA), and their combination to maintain the postharvest quality of Mexican lime (\u003cem\u003eCitrus aurantifolia\u003c/em\u003e) stored at 8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1\u0026deg;C for 80 days.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results revealed that the edible coatings reduced weight loss and decay after 80 days of storage. GG/JO and GG/OA were the most effective treatments for maintaining firmness during storage. Compared with the control, all the treatments, especially GA/OA, delayed the development of chilling injury and lipid peroxidation indices at low temperatures. Additionally, GG/OA had the greatest effects on maintaining chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, total phenol, and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity. The highest TSS and lowest TA were obtained in the GG/OA treatment.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusions\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese results suggest that edible coatings, especially GA/OA, can be considered excellent treatments for enhancing the storability of Mexican lime at low temperatures.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Extending the Storage Life of Mexican Lime through Guar Gum, Jojoba Oil, and Oleic Acid-Based Coatings","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-11-24 12:40:01","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7613717/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-11-17T05:57:45+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-16T11:00:34+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"175031248196001122507858350757578741216","date":"2025-11-13T19:34:39+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-12T16:27:08+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"237891298432090949549733822312840132306","date":"2025-11-12T10:06:24+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-11-12T09:43:50+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-11-11T20:02:29+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Plant Biology","date":"2025-11-11T19:58:16+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-plant-biology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"pbio","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Plant Biology](http://bmcplantbiol.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/pbio/default.aspx","title":"BMC Plant Biology","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"79633f0b-b886-4387-9ed2-f34e26cc2138","owner":[],"postedDate":"November 24th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-14T16:08:30+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-11-24 12:40:01","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7613717","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7613717","identity":"rs-7613717","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}