Effect of Edible Coatings on Storage Life of Mexican Limes (Citrus

aurantifolia Swingle) Harvested in Two Different Periods

E. Bosquez-Molina and J. Domínguez-Soberanes
Biotechnology Department, C.B.S.
L.J. Pérez-Flores and F. Díaz-de-León-Sánchez
Health Science Department, C.B.S.
J. Vernon-Carter
Hydraulic Process Department, C.B.I.
Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana
México, D.F. 09340
Email: elbm@xanum.uam.mx

Keywords: chilling injury tolerance, cold storage, postharvest, storage temperature,

harvesting season, fruit quality.

Abstract
It is estimated that losses of Mexican Lime fruits (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle)
are up to 50% due to its high chilling injury susceptibility. Therefore, the effect of
three different natural coatings, two based on mesquite gum mixed with candelilla
wax and mineral oil (MCMO) at ratios of 2:1 and 1:1, and a third aqueous emulsion
of candelilla wax with Tween60-Span60 were compared with a commercial wax on
the post harvest life of Mexican limes. The limes were harvested at the beginning of
June and again at the end of August, 2001, and stored at different temperatures
(4,7,10 and 20ºC, 90 ±2% R.H.). Chilling injury percentage, peel color, physiological
weight loss percentage (%PWL), juice percentage, titratable acidity, and TSS were
determined every three days by triplicate. No differences among treatments were
found in TSS, juice percentage and titratable acidity. A synergistic effect was found
on fruits treated with MCMO 1:1 formulation and stored at 10ºC, showing less
chilling injury, less percentage of PWL and a greener color. Significant differences
were observed in the response of fruit harvested in both seasons, showing that the
overall quality of early season limes were better.

INTRODUCTION
Mexico is considered the main producer worldwide of Mexican Lime (Citrus
aurantifolia Swingle), having a cultivated area of 122,785 hectares, producing 1,308,320
tons. From the overall production only 1% is exported (BANCOMEXT, 2001).
Postharvest life is short, 10 to 16 days, due to fungal attack and natural senescence. Limes
tend to become yellowish after 5 days making commercialization difficult because
consumers associate green color with freshness. Therefore, approximately 80% of the
total production is used to obtain essential oil and pectin, which are utilized in the
pharmaceutical, food and perfumery industries. Postharvest treatments are needed to
allow the successful commercialization of limes as fresh fruits by extending marketing
period (Cajustes and Valdez, 2001; Chavez et al., 1993).
Edible coatings offer an alternative to substitute synthetic ones because they also
modify fruit internal atmosphere, consequently there is a reduction in the respiration rate,
a fungal growth control, and less physiological disorders. Besides improving fruit
appearance, texture and handling resistance (Bosquez et al., 2000; Greener and Fennema,
1994; Lakshminarayana et al., 1974)). The objective of this study was to evaluate the
potential of three different natural coatings (two of them based on mesquite gum as
structural matrix and a lipid blend of candelilla wax:mineral oil at ratios of 2:1 and 1:1 as
dispersed phase, and the third one consisted on an aqueous emulsion of candelilla wax
using Tween 60-Span 60 as emulsifiers) compared to a commercial wax on the
postharvest life of Mexican limes.
Proc. XXVI IHC – Citrus, Subtropical and Tropical Fruit Crops
Eds. L.G. Albrigo and V. Galán Saúco
Acta Hort. 632, ISHS 2004 329
Publication supported by Can. Int. Dev. Agency (CIDA)
MATERIALS AND METHODS

Plant Material
The experiment involved 900 healthy mature green limes (Citrus aurantifolia
Swingle) of two harvesting seasons (June and August 2001) from Tecoman, Colima,
México. All limes were 30-35 g average weight and free of wounds. Fruits were divided
into five groups: a control; Mesquite-Candelilla: Mineral oil (2:1) emulsion (MCMO 2:1);
Mesquite-Candelilla: Mineral oil (1:1) emulsion (MCMO 1:1); Water-Candelilla emulsion
(CTS60), and a commercial formulation. All treatments were applied by immersion and
fruits were dried at ambient temperature followed by their storage at 4, 7, 10 and 20 °C
(90% RH) during 30 days.

Parameters of Evaluation
Three replicates of 10 healthy fruit were randomly selected every 3 days for 30
days, and evaluated. Physiological weight loss (% PWL) was determined by the changes
of weight and reported as accumulative percentage. Color was evaluated qualitatively
using a color chart for limes, where:1= bright dark green, 2= bright green, 3= light green
with small yellow spots, 4= light green and yellow, 5= yellow, 6= yellow with brown
spots and 7= brown. Juice Content was determined as the volume/weight percentage of
juice extracted with a Braun MPZ-1 juice extractor (NOM-FF-331-A-1981). Total soluble
solids (TSS) was determined with a hand refractometer. Titratable acidity was determined
as citric acid (mg/100ml) according to the AOAC standard method (1995). Fruits taken
for chilling injury analysis were held at ambient temperature for 24 h before frequency
and severity of symptoms were determined. Severity of damage was calculated measuring
the affected area of individual fruits using the following scale: 0 = without damage, 1 =
traces: 0.1 to 1%, 2 = light: 1.1 to 5%, 3 = moderate: 5.1 to 15%, and 4= severe: greater to
15.1%. Total surface = Sf = (Def / π ) 2 π (1) and % Chilling Injury: S chilling injury * 100 /
Sf (2) Where: Sf = fruit surface (cm 2),Def = Equatorial diameter of fruit (cm), Schilling
2
injury = Surface affected with chilling injury (cm ). Analysis of variance was performed on
all data for the physical and chemical quality parameters of the fruit, and the least
significant differences at α=0.05 obtained by Duncan’s multiple range test were used to
establish differences between means.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Fruits from the early season were significantly more yellow and less juicy than
limes from late season at the moment of harvest. No differences were found among
harvesting period in the initial acidity or TSS (Table 1).
Significant differences were also found in weight loss and color of the fruits from
the different harvests during storage (Fig. 1). Higher weight loss (≥15%) occurred in fruit
from the later harvest compared to the early one. Limes lost more weight at 4 and 20ºC
(Fig. 1) due to an increased transpiration rate that accelerates fruit senescence.
Additionally, fruits stored at 4ºC had characteristic brown lesions of chilling injury
observed as rounded depressions in skin from 0.1 to 1.5 cm of diameter with more than
1mm of depth. At 7ºC and 10°C PWL was ≥10% after 14th day of storage. MCMO 2:1
treated fruit had the least water loss compared to the control. The commercial wax as well
as CTS60 did not offer any advantage in controlling PWL when compared to the control.
Limes harvested in the late season were greener but quickly lost their color and
yellowish tones were observed at the 9th day of storage at 20ºC. Limes picked during the
early season had a slower rate of change in color (Fig. 2.). Limes from both harvests
stored at 20ºC exhibited a color between 4 and 5 that corresponds to light green and
yellow, respectively, at the end of 30 days. No differences in color were found among
fruit stored at 4, 7 and 10ºC retaining a light green color (Fig. 2). Furthermore, fruits
coated with CMOM formulations exhibited a significant greener color. Neither
commercial wax nor CTS60 formulations were effective in maintaining the green color
skin.

330
 Late harvested fruit had greater susceptibility to chilling injury when compared
with the early harvesting season (Fig. 3). It has been reported that the critical temperature
for limes is 10°C for 14 to 21 days (Chavez, et al., 1993). After 9 days of storage our
results showed that fruits stored at 4°C had 100% of CI categorized as light severity,
whereas limes stored at 7°C and 10°C showed only traces of chilling injury. Regarding
coatings, we found that CMOM 1:1 coated fruits exhibited from traces to light chilling
injury being the best natural protective alternative. The commercial wax and CTS 60
offered no advantage in preventing CI.
The initial content of juice was 52.4% in late harvest season fruits and declined to
43% with storage. Fruit picked in the early season had an inverse effect, the initial juice
percentage was of 43.34% which increased with storage reaching values of up to 61%.
There was no effect of storage temperatures on juice content. Coated limes exhibited
greater juice percentage when compared with limes without any treatment.
Fruit from the early season had an initial acidity of 6.9% and increased to 7.2%
with storage. On the other hand, late season fruits had an initial value of 6.7% and
increased little with storage. Regarding TSS, fruits from the early season had a 7.9 value
which increased to 8.5 after 24 days of storage. Limes harvested during the early season
were the sweetest (Data not shown). No effect of storage temperatures and coatings were
found on chemical composition.
A conclusion of this paper is that harvesting season has an important effect on the
response of fruit to storage capability and susceptibility to chilling injury. Among edible
coatings tested MCOM formulation showed potential to extend the storage life of limes.
Storage temperatures of 7oC under certain circumstances gave the best storage life.
However, 7oC was risky and depended upon harvesting season and the postharvest
treatments applied. Results obtained at 10oC gave reliable results and extended post
harvest life up to 14 to 20 days depending on the harvesting season.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Authors wish to thank UAM-Iztapalapa through the multidisciplinary program of
“Preservation Quality of Fresh and Processed Fruits” and CONACyT through the
program Manejo de la fruta de limón mexicano en campo y empaque para conservar su
calidad postchosecha CONACYT-FOSIMORELOS 19990301016 for partial financing
this study.

Literature Cited
Banco Nacional de Comercio Exterior (Bancomext). 2001. S.N.C. Exportaciones e
Importaciones definitivas de México.
Bosquez, M.E., Vernon, E.J., Pérez, C.L. and Guerrero, L. 2000. Películas y Cubiertas
Comestibles para la Conservación en fresco de Frutas y Hortalizas. Alfa Editores
Técnicos. Industria alimentaría. p. 14-36.
Cajuste, J. and Valdez, A. 2001. Limón mexicano (Citrus aurantifiolia Swingle) calidad y
preferencias del consumidor. Memorias IX Congreso Somech, XLVII ISTH., VIII
AMEHOAC. Oaxtepec, Morelos. p. 200.
Chávez, S., Bosquez, M., Madrid, R. and Pelayo, Z. 1993. Effect of Harvesting season
and Postharvest treaments on storage life of Mexican limes (Citrus aurantifolia
Swingle). J. Food Quality 16:339-354
Greener, I.D. and Fennema, O. 1994. Edible films and coatings: Characteristics, forma-
tion, definitions, and testing methods. In: edible coatings and films to improve food
quality (eds.) Krochta, Baldwin. and Nísperos-Carriedo.
Lakshminarayana, S., Sarmiento, L.L., Ortiz, R.J. and Siade, B.G. 1974. Extension of
storage life of Citrus fruits by application of candelilla wax emulsion and comparison
of its efficiency with tag and flavorseal. Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc.:325-330.

331
Tables

Table 1. Initial analysis of Mexican lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) from two
harvesting periods: high (June 2002) and late (August 2002) from Tecomán, Colima,
México.

Quality Parameters High season Late season

(June 2002) (August 2002)
Color 3b 2a
Acidity (mg/ml) 6.97 a 6.71 a
TSS 7.93 a 7.86 a
TSS /Acidity 1.13 a 1.17 a
Juice Percentage (%) 44.34 a 52.43 b

Results are the means of three replicates. ANOVA was performed (α=0.05)

332
Figurese

4° C 4° C
20
20
15
15

10 10

5 5

0
0
0 3 6 9
0 2 5 8 11 14
Day s
Da ys

7° C 7° C

20 20

15 15

10 10

5 5

0 0
0 2 5 8 11 14 0 3 6 9 12 15 20
Da ys Da ys

10° C 10° C

20 20

15 15

10 10

5
5

0
0
0 2 5 8 11 14
0 3 6 9 12 15 20
Day s
Days

20° C 20° C

20
20
15
15

10
10
5
5

0
0
0 2 5 8 11 14
0 3 6 9
Da ys Da ys

MCMO 1:1 MCMO 2:1 COMMERCIAL WAX 10 CTS60 CONTROL

0

Fig. 1. Physiological weight loss of Mexican Limes (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) from
two harvesting periods: early: June 2001 (left) and late: August (right) and stored
at different temperatures.

333
 4° C 4° C

6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
0 0
0 2 5 8 11 14 0 3 6 9
Days Da ys

7° C 7° C

6
6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
0 0
0 2 5 8 11 14 0 3 6 9 12 15 20

Da ys Days

10° C 10° C

6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2
2
1
1
0
0
0 2 5 8 11 14
0 3 6 9 12 15 20
Days
Da ys

20 ° C 20° C
6 6

5 5

4 4
3
3
2
2
1
1
0
0 0 3 6 9
0 2 5 8 11 14
Da ys
Days

MCMO 1:1 MCMO 2:1 COMMERCIAL WAX 10

0
CTS60 CONTROL

Fig. 2. Color change of Mexican Limes (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) from two
harvesting periods: early, June 2001 (left) and late, August (right) and stored at
different temperatures. Peel color was measured using a color chart where: 1=
bright dark green, 2= bright green, 3= light green with small yellow spots, 4= light
green and yellow, 5= yellow, 6= yellow with brown spots and 7= brown.

334
 a) 4° C b) 4° C
100% 100%

80% 80%

60% 60%

40% 40%

20% 20%

0%
0%
MCMO 1:1 MCMO 2:1 COMMERCIAL CTS60 CONTROL
MCMO 1:1 MCMO 2:1 COMMERCIAL CTS60 CONTROL
WAX
WAX

a) 7° C b) 7° C
100% 100%

80% 80%

60% 60%

40% 40%

20% 20%

0% 0%
MCMO 1:1 MCMO 2:1 COMMERCIAL CTS60 CONTROL
MCMO 1:1 MCMO 2:1 COMMERCIAL CTS60 CONTROL
WAX
WAX

b) 10° C
a) 10° C
100% 100%

80% 80%

60% 60%

40% 40%

20%
20%

0%
0%
MCMO 1:1 MCMO 2:1 COMMERCIAL CTS60 CONTROL
MCMO 1:1 MCMO 2:1 COMMERCIAL CTS60 CONTROL
WAX
WAX

without damage 1-25% (light) 26-50% (moderate)

0

0
51-100% (severe)
%

Fig. 3. Chilling injury of Mexican Limes (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) from two
harvesting periods: early, June 2001 (a) and late, August (b) after 9 days of storage
at different temperatures.

335