Effect of Alginate and Chitosan Edible Coating Enriched with Olive Leaves Extract on the Shelf Life of Sweet Cherries (<i>Prunus avium</i> L.)

Edible film coatings are widely used as a protective barrier for the reduction of transpiration and respiration, therefore reducing the ripening process in fruits and vegetables and improving their quality. The influence of chitosan 1% and alginate 3% enriched with olive leaves extract (OLE) on the quality of sweet cherries was studied. Overall, the ripening process and the increase in anthocyanins were found to be delayed with the use of coating particularly those composed of chitosan in combination with OLE. Ascorbic acid and total phenolic contents were recorded with restricted loss at the end of 20 days of storage in both chitosan- and alginate-coated samples enriched with OLE. Higher values of antioxidant activity expressed as the percentage inhibition of DPPH were reported in correlation with phytochemical content. It could be concluded that chitosan and alginate coating enriched with OLE could be efficient for prolonging the shelf life of sweet cherries.