Synergistic effect of cold shock and Aloe vera gel coating on postharvest quality and shelf life of banana fruit during ambient storage

Bananas are highly perishable climacteric fruits that ripen rapidly under ambient storage, leading to significant postharvest losses, especially in low-income countries where low-cost techniques are required. This study investigated the effects of cold shock (CS; 0 ± 1°C for 40 min), Aloe vera gel (AG; 20%), and their combination (CS + AG) on postharvest quality and shelf life of bananas stored under ambient conditions (31 ± 2°C, 45–50% RH). A completely randomized design was used in this study with three replications. After 15 d of storage, CS + AG significantly (P < 0.05) reduced physiological weight by 51.3%. The combination treatment of CS + AG maintained at lower levels of TSS, reduced polygalacturonase activity by 56.2%, markedly delayed chlorophyll degradation, retained higher titratable acidity levels, showing 0.253 ± 0.02% relative to 0.057 ± 0.01% in untreated fruits. Similarly, vitamin C and DPPH radical scavenging activity were enhanced and remained significantly higher in CS + AG treated fruits throughout the 15 d of storage. Shelf life of fruits was extended by 5 d in CS + AG treatment compared to the untreated control. Taken together, the study showed that CS + AG coating offers a safe and cost-effective technique for delaying senescence in bananas under ambient conditions.