Effect of Nano-Encapsulated Edible Aloe Vera Gel Coating Enriched with Ziziphora tenuior Essential Oil on Postharvest Quality of Citrus sinensis

Baeradeh, Tayebeh; Arouiee, Hossein; Naseri, Mahboobeh; Mamarabadi, Mojtaba

doi:10.22034/jmpb.2026.368910.1925

Effect of Nano-Encapsulated Edible Aloe Vera Gel Coating Enriched with Ziziphora tenuior Essential Oil on Postharvest Quality of Citrus sinensis

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

¹ Department of Horticulture Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

² Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Torbat Heydarieh, Torbat Heydarieh, Iran

³ Department of Plant protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

10.22034/jmpb.2026.368910.1925

Abstract

This study investigated the potential of Aloe vera gel nanocapsules loaded with Ziziphora tenuior essential oil to enhance the shelf life and quality of Valencia oranges by controlling Penicillium digitatum. Analysis of the essential oil identified 21 bioactive compounds, and in vitro assays revealed a concentration-dependent inhibition of P. digitatum mycelial growth, reaching approximately 90% inhibition at 3 ml/L. Nanocapsules synthesized with an average particle size of 75 nm and a zeta potential of -16 mV were applied as coatings on oranges. Over a 60-day storage period, the nanocapsule treatment effectively minimized weight loss to 1.5%, outperforming Aloe vera gel (3.1%) and essential oil alone (3.9%). Fruit firmness was better preserved with treatments containing nanocapsules, aloe gel, and essential oil. At the same time, nanocapsules also limited the increase in soluble solids content (SSC) from 9.4% to 10.6%, compared to a rise up to 13.8% in the control. Moreover, the nanocapsule coating maintained a relatively stable titratable acidity (TA) between 30 and 60 days (0.95 to 0.84 g citric acid/L). These findings demonstrate that nanoencapsulation of Z. tenuior essential oil in Aloe vera gel significantly enhances its antifungal activity and fruit preservation properties, offering an effective postharvest strategy to extend the shelf life and maintain the quality of citrus fruits.

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