APPLICATION OF CHITOSAN PRE-TREATMENT TO PRESERVE THE QUALITY OF BERRY PRODUCTS

Abstract

Berries are the most perishable crops of all agricultural produce. They are easily damaged by mechanical and microbiological damage due to the thin covering tissues. Despite the large volume of cultivation, only a portion of the crop is supplied to the consumer. This is due to the significant losses that begin at the harvest stage, continue during transportation and storage and ends up on the supermarket shelves. The main danger of berry products is phytopathogenic damage, usually caused by fungal diseases. Infection occurs on the mother plant and continues to progress even after harvest. Many scientists have worked to solve this problem, and now the fight against fungal diseases is based on chemical control, namely the use of fungicides. Unfortunately, many of these drugs are toxic to the human body. In recent years, the treatment of agricultural products with biopolymer solutions has become increasingly popular. This improves quality, extends shelf life, and ensures safe food. Chitosan is a polysaccharide derived from chitin of crustaceans and insects. It is known as the second most abundant biopolymer in nature after cellulose. The purpose of this work was to investigate the effect of chitosan pretreatment on the quality and duration of storage of strawberries.