Chitosan-catechin coating as an antifungal and preservable agent for postharvest satsuma oranges

The antifungal properties of chitosan-catechin coating and the effect of fruit preservation were studied. We used catechin to modify chitosan to prepare a coating. The purpose of the study was to use chitosan-catechin coating to prolong the preservation time of satsuma oranges. In vitro experiments, the results showed that the antifungal activity of chitosan-catechin increased with increasing concentration, and the results are also significantly effect of comparing to chitosan and catechin alone (*p < 0.05). In vivo studies, chitosan-catechin coating treatment significantly reduced rot caused by Penicillium Citrinum and Aspergillus niger. The physiological and biochemical indexes of the chitosan-catechin coating treatment group were significantly higher than those of the control group (*p ≤ 0.05). In the toxicity test, mice injected with chitosan-catechin solution showed no significant difference compared to the control group. These results indicate that this chitosan-catechin coating may be useful as an antifungal and preserving agent for satsuma oranges. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The fruit after harvest every year is a large loss due to improper storage, and the preservation of fruits is an effective way to reduce losses. The traditional fruit wrap is not degradable, and the preservation effect is relatively general. The chitosan film is a new type of edible fruit wrap, which has the advantages of being edible and easily degradable, and can effectively reduce environmental pollution. Adding catechin to the preparation process of chitosan film can better improve the fresh-keeping effect and prolong the preservation time of the fruit.