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Current IssueEditorial BoardOnline First ArticlesArchive

Full Research Article

Effects of Guar Gum-glycerol Edible Coatings on Physicochemical Properties and Shelf-life Extension of Red Dragon Fruit Stored at Ambient Temperature

S
Shailesh Janardan Veer1,*
R
Rajesh Baliram Kshirsagar2
S
S.K. Sadawarte3
B
B.S. Agarkar4
1Department of Food Technology, Parul Institute of Technology, Parul University, Vadodara-391 760, Gujarat, India.
2College of Food Technology, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani-431 402, Maharashtra, India.
3Department of Food Process Technology, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani-431 402, Maharashtra, India.
4Department of Food Engineering, College of Food Technology, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani-431 402, Maharashtra, India.

ABSTRACT

Background: Dragon fruit production in India has increased, but challenges like weight loss, shriveling and post-harvest diseases affect shelf life. This study examined guar gum-glycerol edible coatings’ effects on dragon fruit’s physicochemical properties and shelf life at ambient temperature.

Methods: Dragon fruits were coated with guar gum (1%, 2%, 3%) and 1% glycerol, then stored at room temperature. Physiological loss in weight, firmness, total soluble solids, titrable acidity, pH and shelf life were evaluated periodically.

Result: The 3% guar gum + 1% glycerol coating (T3) significantly reduced weight loss, maintained firmness and preserved soluble solids and acidity compared to uncoated fruits (T4) and lower guar gum concentrations (T1, T2). T3 extended shelf life to 12 days, while uncoated fruits lasted 8 days. Findings show guar gum-glycerol coatings’ potential for improving dragon fruit quality and shelf life at ambient storage.

INTRODUCTION

Dragon fruit also known as pitaya is the fruit produced by various different tropical climbing plants belonging the genus Hylocereus, family Cactaceae (Nishikito et al., 2022; Trong et al., 2022; Pavithra and Mini, 2023). It is a native fruit from Mexico, Central America and South America (Carrillo-Fasio  et al., 2022). It is now grown globally because of its commercial value and minimal cultivation needs, such as high drought resistance, easy adaptation to varying light levels and high temperature, a broad  tolerance for different soil salinities and its health benefits for humans (Vishakha et al., 2021; Crane et al., 2017; Mercado, 2018).
       
Dragon fruit is highly perishable fruit with a limited post- harvest shelf life of 8 days (Chen et al., 2024). Various factors affect its quality and storage duration (Huang and Zhao, 2023). Research on extending shelf life using sustainable approaches is lacking.  Preservation technologies like modified atmospheric packaging, controlled atmosphere storage, controlled atmospheric storage and cold storage have shown promise in maintaining freshness and reducing losses (Habib et al., 2015; Jadhav, 2018; Hazarika et al., 2023). This technique helps to maintain firmness, color, flavor and nutritional content while reducing weight loss and pathogen susceptibility (Bassolino et al., 2013; Thole et al., 2020).
       
Guar gum is a natural polysaccharide obtained the seeds of guar beans, served as an edible coating and has high molecular weight, extended polymeric chains, presence of natural antioxidants and bioactive compounds, widespread availability and its capacity to improve water solubility (Thombare et al., 2016). Guar gum has reported positive results as a coating material for extending shelf life of various fruits. Studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in preserving quality parameters and prolonging storage periods of mangoes, tomatoes and blueberries (Naeem et al., 2018; Prasad et al., 2022; Totad et al., 2019). Utilization of guar gum-based coatings on tomatoes improved the shelf stability up to 60 days at 10oC (Naeem  et al., 2018).  No studies have been done before on extension of shelf life of dragon fruits by utilising guar gum as a coating material. In the context of this study was planned to extend the shelf life of red dragon fruit by using the edible coatings of guar gum at ambient temperature.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Preparation of composite guar gum and glycerol solution
 
Guar gum coating solution was prepared according to methods advised by Ghosh et al., (2014) by dissolving 10 gm, 20 gm and 30 gm of guar gum powder in 1000 ml of distilled water with 1% of glacial acetic acid. 1% glycerol solution was added to each.
 
Application of coatings solution to dragon fruits
 
DF were washed, air dried and divided into 4 lots of 15 fruits each. These lots were coated with guar gum + glycerol solution solutions for 60 seconds, while one lot served as an untreated control (T4). After air drying, fruits were stored at ambient temperature. Quality attributes were analyzed at 2- day and 5- day intervals to assess the shelf life.
 
Determination of qualitative attributes
 
Physiological weight loss (PLW) was determined by taking the difference between initial and final weights at designed sampling intervals and was represented as a percentage (%). A penetrometer was employed to measure the firmness of the fruit, with direct readings expressed in kg/cm2. The TSS of red dragon fruit was measured using digital ATAGO portable refracto - polarimeter. The titratable acidity of dragon fruit was assessed as anhydrous citric acid by titrating with 0.1N NaOH, using phenolphthalein as an indicator following the method recommended by A.O.A.C. (2005). 10 gm of dragon fruit flesh (homoginized), was taken in a beaker and pH was determined using a microprocessor controlled digital pH analyzer (Lab India, Model PHAN, New Delhi, version I) with combined glass electrode. The shelf life of dragon fruit was determined by counting the number of days it took for them to reach the final stage of ripening, up to the point where they were still suitable for sale (Gol et al., 2015).
 
Statistical analysis
 
The experiments were conducted in triplicate.  Results were expressed as mean±standard deviation. Statistical differences were determined using IBM SPSS (Version 26, IBM analytics, New York NY USA.), One-way ANOVA was performed (p<0.05) and Duncans multiple range tests compared means and assessed variable homogeneity.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Effects of Guar gum- Glycerol based edible coating on physicochemical and biochemical attributes of red dragon fruits stored at ambient temperature
 
Physiological loss in weight (%)
 
The reduction in fruit weight throughout storage is a significant factor contributing to postharvest losses, which cause shriveling and wilting of fruits which ultimately retards the marketability of fruits (Lufu et al., 2024). In this context PLW of dragon fruits was calculated and obtained results are in Table 1.

Table 1: Effects of guar gum-based edible coating on physiological loss of weight of red dragon fruit stored at ambient temperature.


       
The study revealed significant rise in % PLW over time for both control and coated dragon fruit (DF) samples (p<0.05). Control samples (T4) exhibited the highest weight reduction, with shrinkage occurring more rapidly than in coated fruits. Weight loss was attributed to moisture loss, transpiration, respiration, storage conditions, fruit charact-eristics and physiological changes (Umeohia et al., 2024). Control samples showed progressive weight reduction that is on 2 day 0.85%, on 4 day 3.20% and at 8 day1 0.77%. Initial weight loss was less pronounced compare to subsequent storage period.
       
Coated dragon fruit with 3% guar gum + 1% glycerol (T3) showed a minimum % PLW compared to T2 and T1.  Guar gum coatings form a semipermeable layer reducing transpiration, respiration, reduced the movement of O2, CO2, moisture and solutes thereby reducing water loss (Ruelas-Chacon et al., 2017). T3 treatment showed minimal reduction, reaching 8.21% PLW on day 12. T2 reached 8.45% PLW on day10, while T1 reached 10.81%. T1 and T2 treated DF remained stable for 10 days before decay, evident through physiological weight loss. Saha et al., (2016) reported guar gum based edible coatings reduced weight loss in cucumber effectively over the uncoated cucumbers. Guar gum and glycerol-based coatings were applied to tomato by Ruelas-Chacon  et al. (2017) and observed that application of 1.5% of guar gum could effectively reduce the weight loss.
 
Firmness
 
Firmness is an important parameter of freshly harvested red dragon fruit as it influenced the quality perceived by consumer and storage potential. Firmness of ambiently stored red dragon fruit were assessed at every 2 days of interval until they decayed and obtained results of the investigation are presented in Table 2.

Table 2: Effects of guar gum-based edible coating on firmness of red dragon fruit stored at ambient temperature.


       
The data in the Table 2 indicates a decrease in firmness for all treated fruit samples. This loss of firmness can lead to changes in the fruits visual appeal, potentially making it appear softer or more fragile (Su et al., 2022). Control samples without coating (T4) showed the highest firmness reduction and were statistically significant (p<0.05) at each evaluation stage. Firmness (T4) decreased from 5.5 Kg/ cm2 (0th day) to 2.6 kg/cm2 (8th day), likely due to respiration and transpiration and was highest compared to coated DF. Coated DF maintained superior firmness compared to untreated DF and this was due to reduced breakdown of insoluble protopectin into soluble pectin and pectic acid (Yaman and Bayoéndérlé, 2002). During ripening, pectin chains undergo polymerization or shortening due to increased pectin-esterase and polygalac-turonase enzyme activity (Desai and Park, 2006).
       
T1 showed the highest firmness reduction compared to other coated samples. From day 0 to 2, minimal reduction was observed in coated fruits with non-significant differences. Significant differences reported from day2 onwards. On 2nd day of evaluation T1 had the firmness 5.4 kg/ cm2 whereas T2 and T3 had 5.4 and 5.6 kg/cm2. On 4th day of evaluation T1 had the firmness 4.7 kg/ cm2 whereas T2 and T3 had 4.9 and 5.1 kg/cm2. T1 red dragon fruit had statistically significant (p<0.05) differences like that of control sample at each harvesting stage and reached the 2.5 Kg/ cm2 firmness on 10th day of evaluation. T2 dragon fruit had statistically significant subsequent differences after 2nd day to up to 10th day of evaluation achieving firmness of 2.4 kg/ cm2. T3 coated dragon fruit samples showed the least reductions in firmness and maintained highest values of it, as it can be evident by its statistical differences.  T3 DF maintained the highest firmness of 2.9 kg/cm2 on day 12, with non-significant differences between 0-2 day and 4-6 day but statistically significant differences observed from day 2-4 and 6-12. Higher firmness suggests preserved structural integrity, associated with reduced enzymatic activity and minimal cell wall breakdown (Wismer, 2014).
       
Coated dragon fruit especially T3, showed minimal firmness reduction due to coating’s barrier effect, which reduces moisture loss and enzymatic activities responsible for softening (Huang and Zhao, 2023). Decreased firmness is linked to turgor pressure loss, cell wall disintegration and polysaccharide degradation (Gidado et al., 2023). Studies on guar gum- based coatings for red DF have demonstrated the effectiveness of coatings in maintaining fruit firmness compared to uncoated samples (Ruelas-Chacon, 2017; Nguyen et al., 2021).
 
Total soluble solids (TSS)
 
TSS indicates fruit sugar content, a key quality parameter. Monitoring TSS during storage assesses ripeness and palatability, affecting consumer acceptance and marketability (Islam et al., 2013). Table 3 shows TSS changes in stored dragon fruit.
       
Table 3 shows TSS in dragon fruits increased then decreased on the final evaluation day across all treatments. T4 had the highest TSS increase, while T3 had the least. Coated fruits showed significantly less TSS increase than control fruits. No significant differences (p>0.05) were noted observed between days 0-2 but, significant differences were noted thereafter for T4. T4 treated fruit TSS ranged from 10.5 to 11.5, peaking at 12.3 on day 6 before decreasing to 11.5, reaching at 12.3 on day 6 before decreasing to 11.5 on the final day. This pattern of increasing TSS followed by decrease on the last day was observed across treatments.

Table 3: Effects of guar gum-based edible coating on TSS of red dragon fruit stored at ambient temperature.


       
T4 treatment showed the least changes in TSS, followed by T1. TSS content ranged from 10.4 -11.9 for T1 and 10.6 - 11.8 for T2 during the 10-day evaluation. Both T1 and T2 showed TSS reduction on day 10 compared to day 8. T3 exhibited the minimum TSS increase among all treatment, with non- significant changes up to day 6, indicating better shelf stability. Significant differences were observed on day 8 compared to day 6 for T3. The TSS concentration increase in stored fresh fruits is due to moisture loss and polysaccharide hydrolysis (Anjum et al., 2020). Coating dragon fruits modifies atmospheric conditions, slowing metabolism increasing TSS content compared to uncoated fruits (Nguyen et al., 2021). A slight decrease in TSS content on the final evaluation day was observed in mangoes, bananas and guavas (Singh et al., 2021; Islam and Rab, 2016; Rahman et al., 2012).
 
% Acidity
 
Acidity of uncoated and coated red dragon fruits stored at ambient temperature decreased progressively throughout storage and are reported in Table 4. T4 (Uncoated control) showed the highest reduction in acidity, followed T1 and T2, while T3 exhibited the highest retention. There were similar results in mangoes treated with guar gum and CMC and ber fruits coated with chitosan (Hmmam et al., 2021; Hesami et al., 2021) The reduction in acidity may be due to the conversion of organic acid into sugars or their use in respiration (Singh et al., 2010).

Table 4: Effects of guar gum-based edible coating on % Acidity of red dragon fruit stored at ambient temperature.


       
Uncoated dragon fruits showed the lowest acidity retention (0.27%) by day 8. Guar gum coated fruits maintained higher acidity (0.26 to 0.31 %). T1, T2 and T4 showed non-significant differences in days 0-2. T3 treatment reported to be non-significant differences from days 0- 4 and 8- 12, indicating minimal acidity reduction. Bhan et al., (2022) reported guar gum coating reduces kinnow fruit respiration. For Roma tomatoes, guar gum with glycerol coating slowed acidity loss over 20 days at 22oC (Ruelas-Chacon et al., 2017). This may apply to dragon fruit. The effect likely results from reduced, decreasing respiratory activities. Guar gum- based coatings effect on dragon fruit acidity at ambient storage aligns with Goswami et al., (2023), who found significant acidity retention (0.29%) in guar gum and chitosan coated mandarin.
 
pH
 
Red fleshed dragon fruit coated with edible coatings of guar gum and glycerol was assessed for its pH content on regular interval of 2 days. Obtained results from analysis are demonstrated in following Table 5.

Table 5: Effects of guar gum-based edible coating on pH of red dragon fruit stored at ambient temperature.


       
pH increased across all treatments over storage time due to decreased acidity. Control (T4) showed the highest pH change, from 4.41 to 5.06. Coated fruits (T1 and T2) reported lesser pH increase due to guar gum and glycerol coatings. pH of T1 treatment ranged from 4.36 to 4.94, while T2 ranged from 4.39 to 4.89. T3 with higher guar gum content, showed least pH change among all treatments.
       
Previous studies by Bal, 2013 and shah et al., (2021) on pear and plum fruit coated with chitosan and edible coatings reported similar rise in pH of coated fruits respectively. Reported findings of present investigation are similar with the findings of Nguyen et al., (2021), they reported on k-carrageenan coatings of DF.
 
Shelf life (Days)
 
The shelf life of coated red DF significantly increased compared to uncoated fruit and results are depicted in Fig 1.  Australian- grown white DF had slightly longer shelf life (9 days) than imported fruits (8 days) under ambient conditions, while red varieties showed similar shelf life (8 days) (Chen et al., 2024). Lata et al., (2024) reported a 7- day shelf life for untreated, ambiently stored red and white pulped DF, aligning with the present findings for uncoated fruits. Control DF samples began decaying after 7 days of storage at 25oC and 75% relative humidity (Chaemsanit et al., 2018).

Fig 1: Effects of guar gum- glycerol based edible coatings on shelf life of dragon fruits stored at ambient temprature.


       
The values are presented as mean±sd (n= 3). Different superscript letters indicate significant differences (p<0.05), while same superscript indicate no significant difference (p>0.05) according to Duncan’s multiple comparison test.

Two coating treatments T1 and T2 showed the shelf stability up to 10 days. T3 dragon fruit treated with 3% Guar gum and 1% glycerol showed the highest shelf life of 12 days and was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05) compared to all the treatments.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, guar gum-glycerol edible coatings, particularly the 3% guar gum + 1% glycerol formulation (T3), effectively improve postharvest quality and extend shelf life of red dragon fruits at room temperature. T3 significantly reduced weight loss, preserved firmness and maintained favorable soluble solids and acidity levels, extending shelf life to 12 days versus 8 days for uncoated fruits. This highlights the potential of guar gum-glycerol coatings as a sustainable postharvest solution. Future studies should focus on sensory evaluation and commercial scalability to refine this preservation strategy.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors do not have any conflict of interest.

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    Full Research Article

    Effects of Guar Gum-glycerol Edible Coatings on Physicochemical Properties and Shelf-life Extension of Red Dragon Fruit Stored at Ambient Temperature

    S
    Shailesh Janardan Veer1,*
    R
    Rajesh Baliram Kshirsagar2
    S
    S.K. Sadawarte3
    B
    B.S. Agarkar4
    1Department of Food Technology, Parul Institute of Technology, Parul University, Vadodara-391 760, Gujarat, India.
    2College of Food Technology, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani-431 402, Maharashtra, India.
    3Department of Food Process Technology, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani-431 402, Maharashtra, India.
    4Department of Food Engineering, College of Food Technology, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani-431 402, Maharashtra, India.

    ABSTRACT

    Background: Dragon fruit production in India has increased, but challenges like weight loss, shriveling and post-harvest diseases affect shelf life. This study examined guar gum-glycerol edible coatings’ effects on dragon fruit’s physicochemical properties and shelf life at ambient temperature.

    Methods: Dragon fruits were coated with guar gum (1%, 2%, 3%) and 1% glycerol, then stored at room temperature. Physiological loss in weight, firmness, total soluble solids, titrable acidity, pH and shelf life were evaluated periodically.

    Result: The 3% guar gum + 1% glycerol coating (T3) significantly reduced weight loss, maintained firmness and preserved soluble solids and acidity compared to uncoated fruits (T4) and lower guar gum concentrations (T1, T2). T3 extended shelf life to 12 days, while uncoated fruits lasted 8 days. Findings show guar gum-glycerol coatings’ potential for improving dragon fruit quality and shelf life at ambient storage.

    INTRODUCTION

    Dragon fruit also known as pitaya is the fruit produced by various different tropical climbing plants belonging the genus Hylocereus, family Cactaceae (Nishikito et al., 2022; Trong et al., 2022; Pavithra and Mini, 2023). It is a native fruit from Mexico, Central America and South America (Carrillo-Fasio  et al., 2022). It is now grown globally because of its commercial value and minimal cultivation needs, such as high drought resistance, easy adaptation to varying light levels and high temperature, a broad  tolerance for different soil salinities and its health benefits for humans (Vishakha et al., 2021; Crane et al., 2017; Mercado, 2018).
           
    Dragon fruit is highly perishable fruit with a limited post- harvest shelf life of 8 days (Chen et al., 2024). Various factors affect its quality and storage duration (Huang and Zhao, 2023). Research on extending shelf life using sustainable approaches is lacking.  Preservation technologies like modified atmospheric packaging, controlled atmosphere storage, controlled atmospheric storage and cold storage have shown promise in maintaining freshness and reducing losses (Habib et al., 2015; Jadhav, 2018; Hazarika et al., 2023). This technique helps to maintain firmness, color, flavor and nutritional content while reducing weight loss and pathogen susceptibility (Bassolino et al., 2013; Thole et al., 2020).
           
    Guar gum is a natural polysaccharide obtained the seeds of guar beans, served as an edible coating and has high molecular weight, extended polymeric chains, presence of natural antioxidants and bioactive compounds, widespread availability and its capacity to improve water solubility (Thombare et al., 2016). Guar gum has reported positive results as a coating material for extending shelf life of various fruits. Studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in preserving quality parameters and prolonging storage periods of mangoes, tomatoes and blueberries (Naeem et al., 2018; Prasad et al., 2022; Totad et al., 2019). Utilization of guar gum-based coatings on tomatoes improved the shelf stability up to 60 days at 10oC (Naeem  et al., 2018).  No studies have been done before on extension of shelf life of dragon fruits by utilising guar gum as a coating material. In the context of this study was planned to extend the shelf life of red dragon fruit by using the edible coatings of guar gum at ambient temperature.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS

    Preparation of composite guar gum and glycerol solution
     
    Guar gum coating solution was prepared according to methods advised by Ghosh et al., (2014) by dissolving 10 gm, 20 gm and 30 gm of guar gum powder in 1000 ml of distilled water with 1% of glacial acetic acid. 1% glycerol solution was added to each.
     
    Application of coatings solution to dragon fruits
     
    DF were washed, air dried and divided into 4 lots of 15 fruits each. These lots were coated with guar gum + glycerol solution solutions for 60 seconds, while one lot served as an untreated control (T4). After air drying, fruits were stored at ambient temperature. Quality attributes were analyzed at 2- day and 5- day intervals to assess the shelf life.
     
    Determination of qualitative attributes
     
    Physiological weight loss (PLW) was determined by taking the difference between initial and final weights at designed sampling intervals and was represented as a percentage (%). A penetrometer was employed to measure the firmness of the fruit, with direct readings expressed in kg/cm2. The TSS of red dragon fruit was measured using digital ATAGO portable refracto - polarimeter. The titratable acidity of dragon fruit was assessed as anhydrous citric acid by titrating with 0.1N NaOH, using phenolphthalein as an indicator following the method recommended by A.O.A.C. (2005). 10 gm of dragon fruit flesh (homoginized), was taken in a beaker and pH was determined using a microprocessor controlled digital pH analyzer (Lab India, Model PHAN, New Delhi, version I) with combined glass electrode. The shelf life of dragon fruit was determined by counting the number of days it took for them to reach the final stage of ripening, up to the point where they were still suitable for sale (Gol et al., 2015).
     
    Statistical analysis
     
    The experiments were conducted in triplicate.  Results were expressed as mean±standard deviation. Statistical differences were determined using IBM SPSS (Version 26, IBM analytics, New York NY USA.), One-way ANOVA was performed (p<0.05) and Duncans multiple range tests compared means and assessed variable homogeneity.

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

    Effects of Guar gum- Glycerol based edible coating on physicochemical and biochemical attributes of red dragon fruits stored at ambient temperature
     
    Physiological loss in weight (%)
     
    The reduction in fruit weight throughout storage is a significant factor contributing to postharvest losses, which cause shriveling and wilting of fruits which ultimately retards the marketability of fruits (Lufu et al., 2024). In this context PLW of dragon fruits was calculated and obtained results are in Table 1.

    Table 1: Effects of guar gum-based edible coating on physiological loss of weight of red dragon fruit stored at ambient temperature.


           
    The study revealed significant rise in % PLW over time for both control and coated dragon fruit (DF) samples (p<0.05). Control samples (T4) exhibited the highest weight reduction, with shrinkage occurring more rapidly than in coated fruits. Weight loss was attributed to moisture loss, transpiration, respiration, storage conditions, fruit charact-eristics and physiological changes (Umeohia et al., 2024). Control samples showed progressive weight reduction that is on 2 day 0.85%, on 4 day 3.20% and at 8 day1 0.77%. Initial weight loss was less pronounced compare to subsequent storage period.
           
    Coated dragon fruit with 3% guar gum + 1% glycerol (T3) showed a minimum % PLW compared to T2 and T1.  Guar gum coatings form a semipermeable layer reducing transpiration, respiration, reduced the movement of O2, CO2, moisture and solutes thereby reducing water loss (Ruelas-Chacon et al., 2017). T3 treatment showed minimal reduction, reaching 8.21% PLW on day 12. T2 reached 8.45% PLW on day10, while T1 reached 10.81%. T1 and T2 treated DF remained stable for 10 days before decay, evident through physiological weight loss. Saha et al., (2016) reported guar gum based edible coatings reduced weight loss in cucumber effectively over the uncoated cucumbers. Guar gum and glycerol-based coatings were applied to tomato by Ruelas-Chacon  et al. (2017) and observed that application of 1.5% of guar gum could effectively reduce the weight loss.
     
    Firmness
     
    Firmness is an important parameter of freshly harvested red dragon fruit as it influenced the quality perceived by consumer and storage potential. Firmness of ambiently stored red dragon fruit were assessed at every 2 days of interval until they decayed and obtained results of the investigation are presented in Table 2.

    Table 2: Effects of guar gum-based edible coating on firmness of red dragon fruit stored at ambient temperature.


           
    The data in the Table 2 indicates a decrease in firmness for all treated fruit samples. This loss of firmness can lead to changes in the fruits visual appeal, potentially making it appear softer or more fragile (Su et al., 2022). Control samples without coating (T4) showed the highest firmness reduction and were statistically significant (p<0.05) at each evaluation stage. Firmness (T4) decreased from 5.5 Kg/ cm2 (0th day) to 2.6 kg/cm2 (8th day), likely due to respiration and transpiration and was highest compared to coated DF. Coated DF maintained superior firmness compared to untreated DF and this was due to reduced breakdown of insoluble protopectin into soluble pectin and pectic acid (Yaman and Bayoéndérlé, 2002). During ripening, pectin chains undergo polymerization or shortening due to increased pectin-esterase and polygalac-turonase enzyme activity (Desai and Park, 2006).
           
    T1 showed the highest firmness reduction compared to other coated samples. From day 0 to 2, minimal reduction was observed in coated fruits with non-significant differences. Significant differences reported from day2 onwards. On 2nd day of evaluation T1 had the firmness 5.4 kg/ cm2 whereas T2 and T3 had 5.4 and 5.6 kg/cm2. On 4th day of evaluation T1 had the firmness 4.7 kg/ cm2 whereas T2 and T3 had 4.9 and 5.1 kg/cm2. T1 red dragon fruit had statistically significant (p<0.05) differences like that of control sample at each harvesting stage and reached the 2.5 Kg/ cm2 firmness on 10th day of evaluation. T2 dragon fruit had statistically significant subsequent differences after 2nd day to up to 10th day of evaluation achieving firmness of 2.4 kg/ cm2. T3 coated dragon fruit samples showed the least reductions in firmness and maintained highest values of it, as it can be evident by its statistical differences.  T3 DF maintained the highest firmness of 2.9 kg/cm2 on day 12, with non-significant differences between 0-2 day and 4-6 day but statistically significant differences observed from day 2-4 and 6-12. Higher firmness suggests preserved structural integrity, associated with reduced enzymatic activity and minimal cell wall breakdown (Wismer, 2014).
           
    Coated dragon fruit especially T3, showed minimal firmness reduction due to coating’s barrier effect, which reduces moisture loss and enzymatic activities responsible for softening (Huang and Zhao, 2023). Decreased firmness is linked to turgor pressure loss, cell wall disintegration and polysaccharide degradation (Gidado et al., 2023). Studies on guar gum- based coatings for red DF have demonstrated the effectiveness of coatings in maintaining fruit firmness compared to uncoated samples (Ruelas-Chacon, 2017; Nguyen et al., 2021).
     
    Total soluble solids (TSS)
     
    TSS indicates fruit sugar content, a key quality parameter. Monitoring TSS during storage assesses ripeness and palatability, affecting consumer acceptance and marketability (Islam et al., 2013). Table 3 shows TSS changes in stored dragon fruit.
           
    Table 3 shows TSS in dragon fruits increased then decreased on the final evaluation day across all treatments. T4 had the highest TSS increase, while T3 had the least. Coated fruits showed significantly less TSS increase than control fruits. No significant differences (p>0.05) were noted observed between days 0-2 but, significant differences were noted thereafter for T4. T4 treated fruit TSS ranged from 10.5 to 11.5, peaking at 12.3 on day 6 before decreasing to 11.5, reaching at 12.3 on day 6 before decreasing to 11.5 on the final day. This pattern of increasing TSS followed by decrease on the last day was observed across treatments.

    Table 3: Effects of guar gum-based edible coating on TSS of red dragon fruit stored at ambient temperature.


           
    T4 treatment showed the least changes in TSS, followed by T1. TSS content ranged from 10.4 -11.9 for T1 and 10.6 - 11.8 for T2 during the 10-day evaluation. Both T1 and T2 showed TSS reduction on day 10 compared to day 8. T3 exhibited the minimum TSS increase among all treatment, with non- significant changes up to day 6, indicating better shelf stability. Significant differences were observed on day 8 compared to day 6 for T3. The TSS concentration increase in stored fresh fruits is due to moisture loss and polysaccharide hydrolysis (Anjum et al., 2020). Coating dragon fruits modifies atmospheric conditions, slowing metabolism increasing TSS content compared to uncoated fruits (Nguyen et al., 2021). A slight decrease in TSS content on the final evaluation day was observed in mangoes, bananas and guavas (Singh et al., 2021; Islam and Rab, 2016; Rahman et al., 2012).
     
    % Acidity
     
    Acidity of uncoated and coated red dragon fruits stored at ambient temperature decreased progressively throughout storage and are reported in Table 4. T4 (Uncoated control) showed the highest reduction in acidity, followed T1 and T2, while T3 exhibited the highest retention. There were similar results in mangoes treated with guar gum and CMC and ber fruits coated with chitosan (Hmmam et al., 2021; Hesami et al., 2021) The reduction in acidity may be due to the conversion of organic acid into sugars or their use in respiration (Singh et al., 2010).

    Table 4: Effects of guar gum-based edible coating on % Acidity of red dragon fruit stored at ambient temperature.


           
    Uncoated dragon fruits showed the lowest acidity retention (0.27%) by day 8. Guar gum coated fruits maintained higher acidity (0.26 to 0.31 %). T1, T2 and T4 showed non-significant differences in days 0-2. T3 treatment reported to be non-significant differences from days 0- 4 and 8- 12, indicating minimal acidity reduction. Bhan et al., (2022) reported guar gum coating reduces kinnow fruit respiration. For Roma tomatoes, guar gum with glycerol coating slowed acidity loss over 20 days at 22oC (Ruelas-Chacon et al., 2017). This may apply to dragon fruit. The effect likely results from reduced, decreasing respiratory activities. Guar gum- based coatings effect on dragon fruit acidity at ambient storage aligns with Goswami et al., (2023), who found significant acidity retention (0.29%) in guar gum and chitosan coated mandarin.
     
    pH
     
    Red fleshed dragon fruit coated with edible coatings of guar gum and glycerol was assessed for its pH content on regular interval of 2 days. Obtained results from analysis are demonstrated in following Table 5.

    Table 5: Effects of guar gum-based edible coating on pH of red dragon fruit stored at ambient temperature.


           
    pH increased across all treatments over storage time due to decreased acidity. Control (T4) showed the highest pH change, from 4.41 to 5.06. Coated fruits (T1 and T2) reported lesser pH increase due to guar gum and glycerol coatings. pH of T1 treatment ranged from 4.36 to 4.94, while T2 ranged from 4.39 to 4.89. T3 with higher guar gum content, showed least pH change among all treatments.
           
    Previous studies by Bal, 2013 and shah et al., (2021) on pear and plum fruit coated with chitosan and edible coatings reported similar rise in pH of coated fruits respectively. Reported findings of present investigation are similar with the findings of Nguyen et al., (2021), they reported on k-carrageenan coatings of DF.
     
    Shelf life (Days)
     
    The shelf life of coated red DF significantly increased compared to uncoated fruit and results are depicted in Fig 1.  Australian- grown white DF had slightly longer shelf life (9 days) than imported fruits (8 days) under ambient conditions, while red varieties showed similar shelf life (8 days) (Chen et al., 2024). Lata et al., (2024) reported a 7- day shelf life for untreated, ambiently stored red and white pulped DF, aligning with the present findings for uncoated fruits. Control DF samples began decaying after 7 days of storage at 25oC and 75% relative humidity (Chaemsanit et al., 2018).

    Fig 1: Effects of guar gum- glycerol based edible coatings on shelf life of dragon fruits stored at ambient temprature.


           
    The values are presented as mean±sd (n= 3). Different superscript letters indicate significant differences (p<0.05), while same superscript indicate no significant difference (p>0.05) according to Duncan’s multiple comparison test.

    Two coating treatments T1 and T2 showed the shelf stability up to 10 days. T3 dragon fruit treated with 3% Guar gum and 1% glycerol showed the highest shelf life of 12 days and was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05) compared to all the treatments.

    CONCLUSION

    In conclusion, guar gum-glycerol edible coatings, particularly the 3% guar gum + 1% glycerol formulation (T3), effectively improve postharvest quality and extend shelf life of red dragon fruits at room temperature. T3 significantly reduced weight loss, preserved firmness and maintained favorable soluble solids and acidity levels, extending shelf life to 12 days versus 8 days for uncoated fruits. This highlights the potential of guar gum-glycerol coatings as a sustainable postharvest solution. Future studies should focus on sensory evaluation and commercial scalability to refine this preservation strategy.

    CONFLICT OF INTEREST

    The authors do not have any conflict of interest.

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