Comparative Preparation and Characterization of β-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes With Two Melaleuca Essential Oils...

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is a tropical fruit with high nutritional value; however, its postharvest quality often declines due to fungal infections that cause black spots and deterioration of the fruit's physical and chemical properties. Essential oils (EOs), which are natural plant extracts with antimicrobial properties, have demonstrated antifungal activity. Nevertheless, their volatility and sensitivity to environmental factors limit their direct application. To address these issues, we prepared and characterized two inclusion complexes (ICs) of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) with Melaleuca EOs (M. alternifolia (MAO) and M. cajeput (MCO)). The ICs were prepared by co-precipitation and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Then, mangoes were treated with ICs at a concentration of 5.0 mg/g of fruit and stored at ambient conditions. Disease progression was assessed using the Area Under Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC, a metric that combines severity and duration of disease, reported as %×days), while shelf life was evaluated by monitoring visible spoilage, such as black spots. In addition, weight loss, firmness, peel color, total soluble solids (TSS), vitamin C, and titratable acidity (TA) were also measured. The results showed that M. alternifolia essential oil/β-CD (MAO/β-CD) significantly reduced AUDPC and extended shelf life by 25% compared to the untreated control. Both ICs improved overall fruit quality and reduced visible spoilage, with MAO/β-CD being more effective in maintaining firmness and biochemical attributes. These findings identify MAO/β-CD as an effective natural preservative that enhances mango quality and reduces fungal spoilage.