Abstract
FreshSeal(R) CHC is a naturally occurring, polymer-based edible coating marketed to improve the postharvest quality of fresh horticultural products such as tomatoes and peppers. A series of packinghouse experiments in Florida evaluated the effects of FreshSeal(R) application on tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum) fruit ripening and quality retention under commercial and simulated commercial conditions. These experiments were designed to compare non-treated fruit, FreshSeal(R) CHC-treated fruit, and fruit coated with a mineral oil wax using commercial varieties of round and Roma tomatoes treated on the day of packing. Fruit were harvested at either the vine ripe or mature-green stage and consisted of five replicates of approximately 50 or 100 fruit for rounds and Romas, respectively; all fruit were exposed to ethylene. In addition to total unmarketable fruit, including soft and decayed fruit, individual fruit firmness and water loss were quantified. In general, FreshSeal(R)-treated tomato samples were significantly firmer than the control at both 1 and 2 week(s) after packing and contained less decay. In addition, coating mature-green tomatoes with FreshSeal(R) CHC resulted not only in more rapid and uniform color development but also produced a unique color.
