Effects of treatment agents on betacyanin content and damage level of red-flesh dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) during storage time

Abstract

Dragon fruit is an exotic tropical plant that brings multiple benefits to human health thanks to its. It is a tropical tree widely distributed across the globe, has garnered contemporary popularity due to its red-fleshed variety, remarkable economic significance, and multifaceted nutritional and medicinal attributes. This study was undertaken with the primary objective of assessing the extent of betacyanin degradation and its resilience during the storage of fresh dragon fruit, subject to varying washing solutions and preservation packaging. Betacyanin content was quantified utilizing ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy at a wavelength of 537 nm, while peel damage was assessed via sensory scoring methodology. Experimental findings reveal that the immersion of dragon fruit in a potassium sorbate solution (3%) significantly retards the deterioration of fruit peel (11.6% deterioration observed after 5 days of storage) and enhances the stability of betacyanin (365.6 mg/L detected after 5 days of storage). The chitosan coating also brought about similar differences: the degree of fruit peel damage (15.1%) and betacyanin content (333.4 mg/L) after 9 days of storage at room temperature.