Synthesis of Neem-Oil-Infused Niosome and Starch Nanoparticle Coatings for Preserving the Quality of Strawberry Fruit

Strawberries face marketing challenges due to their short post-harvest shelf-life, largely impacted by shrivelling, weight loss, fungal decay, and mechanical damage. Neem oil (NO) is known for its shelf-life extension benefits; however, encapsulation is needed to maintain its efficacy. This study ai...

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Main Authors: Rahul Islam Barbhuiya, Charles Wroblewski, Sivaranjani Palanisamy Ravikumar, Jayasankar Subramanian, Abdallah Elsayed, Ashutosh Singh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Foods
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/11/1860
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author Rahul Islam Barbhuiya
Charles Wroblewski
Sivaranjani Palanisamy Ravikumar
Jayasankar Subramanian
Abdallah Elsayed
Ashutosh Singh
author_facet Rahul Islam Barbhuiya
Charles Wroblewski
Sivaranjani Palanisamy Ravikumar
Jayasankar Subramanian
Abdallah Elsayed
Ashutosh Singh
author_sort Rahul Islam Barbhuiya
collection DOAJ
description Strawberries face marketing challenges due to their short post-harvest shelf-life, largely impacted by shrivelling, weight loss, fungal decay, and mechanical damage. Neem oil (NO) is known for its shelf-life extension benefits; however, encapsulation is needed to maintain its efficacy. This study aimed to stabilize and encapsulate NO in a polymeric and lipid material to preserve the quality of strawberries stored at 4 ± 1 °C, 80 ± 2% RH for seven days. After seven days, the nanoparticle-coated fruits showed a weight loss of around 5.9% with niosomes and 8.9% with starch nanoparticles, while the control had a significant 32.45% weight loss. Additionally, both nanoparticle coatings significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) preserved fruit colour compared to the untreated control. The findings suggest that nanoparticle coatings could serve as an active agent in preserving the quality of strawberries within the food supply chain. The study provides valuable insights into post-harvest management and fruit preservation, showcasing the effectiveness of these coatings as active packaging solutions.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
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series Foods
spelling doaj-art-f2ad8b69f46b453eaf3a2679c5a63a472025-08-20T03:46:50ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-05-011411186010.3390/foods14111860Synthesis of Neem-Oil-Infused Niosome and Starch Nanoparticle Coatings for Preserving the Quality of Strawberry FruitRahul Islam Barbhuiya0Charles Wroblewski1Sivaranjani Palanisamy Ravikumar2Jayasankar Subramanian3Abdallah Elsayed4Ashutosh Singh5School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaSchool of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaSchool of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaDepartment of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaSchool of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaSchool of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaStrawberries face marketing challenges due to their short post-harvest shelf-life, largely impacted by shrivelling, weight loss, fungal decay, and mechanical damage. Neem oil (NO) is known for its shelf-life extension benefits; however, encapsulation is needed to maintain its efficacy. This study aimed to stabilize and encapsulate NO in a polymeric and lipid material to preserve the quality of strawberries stored at 4 ± 1 °C, 80 ± 2% RH for seven days. After seven days, the nanoparticle-coated fruits showed a weight loss of around 5.9% with niosomes and 8.9% with starch nanoparticles, while the control had a significant 32.45% weight loss. Additionally, both nanoparticle coatings significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) preserved fruit colour compared to the untreated control. The findings suggest that nanoparticle coatings could serve as an active agent in preserving the quality of strawberries within the food supply chain. The study provides valuable insights into post-harvest management and fruit preservation, showcasing the effectiveness of these coatings as active packaging solutions.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/11/1860nanoparticlesniosomespea starchpreservationpost-harveststrawberry
spellingShingle Rahul Islam Barbhuiya
Charles Wroblewski
Sivaranjani Palanisamy Ravikumar
Jayasankar Subramanian
Abdallah Elsayed
Ashutosh Singh
Synthesis of Neem-Oil-Infused Niosome and Starch Nanoparticle Coatings for Preserving the Quality of Strawberry Fruit
Foods
nanoparticles
niosomes
pea starch
preservation
post-harvest
strawberry
title Synthesis of Neem-Oil-Infused Niosome and Starch Nanoparticle Coatings for Preserving the Quality of Strawberry Fruit
title_full Synthesis of Neem-Oil-Infused Niosome and Starch Nanoparticle Coatings for Preserving the Quality of Strawberry Fruit
title_fullStr Synthesis of Neem-Oil-Infused Niosome and Starch Nanoparticle Coatings for Preserving the Quality of Strawberry Fruit
title_full_unstemmed Synthesis of Neem-Oil-Infused Niosome and Starch Nanoparticle Coatings for Preserving the Quality of Strawberry Fruit
title_short Synthesis of Neem-Oil-Infused Niosome and Starch Nanoparticle Coatings for Preserving the Quality of Strawberry Fruit
title_sort synthesis of neem oil infused niosome and starch nanoparticle coatings for preserving the quality of strawberry fruit
topic nanoparticles
niosomes
pea starch
preservation
post-harvest
strawberry
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/11/1860
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