POSTHARVEST PRESERVATION OF NGHE AN JUJUBE (ZIZIPHUS MAURITIANA) USING A DIPPING METHOD ENRICHED WITH SCHEFFLERA HEPTAPHYLLA LEAF EXTRACT
Abstract
This study evaluated the effectiveness of an edible coating containing 1.5% agar and 1% glycerol, supplemented with Schefflera heptaphylla leaf extract, for preserving jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) grown in Nghe An, Vietnam. Five treatments were investigated: an uncoated control, a coating without leaf extract, and coatings supplemented with 0.05%, 0.10%, and 0.15% leaf extract. The fruits were stored at room temperature for 21 days, and changes in weight loss, color (ΔE), total acidity, Vitamin C, total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and sensory quality were evaluated. The results showed that incorporating S. heptaphylla leaf extract into the coating effectively delayed quality deterioration during storage. Among the treatments, the coating containing 0.10% leaf extract provided the best overall preservation performance, as evidenced by lower weight loss and color changes, better retention of Vitamin C, TPC, and TFC, and higher sensory quality scores. These findings indicate that S. heptaphylla leaf extract has considerable potential as a natural preservative for extending the postharvest storage quality of jujube. Keywords: Postharvest preservation; Ziziphus mauritiana; antioxidant activity; edible coating; Schefflera heptaphylla