Abstract
Blueberries are high-value fruit having strong antioxidant capacity and health-promoting benefits. Controlled-release of ClO2 pads and chitosan coating incorporated with 0.5% of carvacrol (CAR) or trans-cinnamaldehyde (ECIN) were applied to fresh blueberries to preserve their quality and ensure microbial safety during postharvest storage. Fruit firmness and microbial populations were monitored during storage. There were approximately a 2 log reduction in the population of bacteria and yeasts/molds in the blueberries after eight days of storage at 10 °C when comparing any of treated fruit with the control. Controlled-release ClO2 pads and chitosan coating incorporated with 0.5% of CAR or ECIN also maintained the firmness of blueberries. Our results suggest that controlled-release ClO2 and chitosanessential oil coatings are effective in extending the shelf life of fresh blueberries