APPLICATION OF CORN STARCH AS EDIBLE COATING ON HONEY WATER APPLE FRUIT

Abstract

Honey water apple is a horticultural commodity with high water content, making it prone to physical, chemical, and microbiological deterioration during storage. Proper postharvest handling is essential to maintain fruit quality and extend shelf life. This study aimed to determine the optimal concentration of corn starch in an edible coating for preserving honey water apple during storage. The experiment used a non-factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five corn starch concentrations: P1 (1%), P2 (2%), P3 (3%), P4 (4%), and P5 (5%), with three replications, resulting in 15 experimental units. The observed parameters were weight loss, firmness, total soluble solids, and vitamin C content. The results showed that corn starch concentration significantly affected all observed parameters during storage. The 5% corn starch treatment (P5) was the most effective in maintaining fruit quality after 20 days of storage. Fruits coated with 5% corn starch showed a weight loss of 12.89%, firmness of 4.03 kgf, total soluble solids of 9.3 °Brix, and vitamin C content of 45.83 mg/100 g. Thus, a 5% corn starch edible coating effectively maintained the quality and extended the shelf life of honey water apple.