EDIBLE COATINGS BASED ON BEESWAX AND SHELLAC EFFECTIVELY PRESERVE CHAYOTE (Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw. var. virens levis) FRUITS DURING STORAGE.

Edible coatings are used to maintain overall quality and extend the shelf-life of fruit after harvest. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of edible coatings based on beeswax and shellac on the postharvest quality of fresh chayote [Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw. var. virens levis] stored for 0, 8, 16, 24, and 32 days at 7 °C. The experiment was conducted with a completely randomized design with mixed effects and three replicates. Physicochemical analyses were carried out for color, texture, acidity, pH, weight loss, and CO₂ concentration. The applied coatings stabilized the physicochemical properties and reduced the weight loss percentage (1.8 to 3.4 %) of the chayotes during the storage period without creating an adverse effect compared to the control (4.1 %). The most effective coating (treatment 6) had the highest concentration of beeswax and the lowest concentration of shellac, forming an effective barrier against gases and water vapor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]