Calcium nanoparticles produced by Acacia arabica leaf extract and their influence on fresh-cut fruit quality features

Abstract

Calcium oxide nanoparticles have possessed unique structural and numerous applications, including the food preservative, antimicrobial, and chemotherapeutic properties. The study’s goal was to identify and create calcium oxide-derived leaf extract nanoparticles from Acacia arabica (AA) and assess their effectiveness on fresh-cut fruit quality attributes. The calcium oxide nanoparticles (AACaN) produced using AA leaf extract by the simple precipitation method and the AACaN obtained were characterised and confirmed using various analytical techniques. Freshly sliced apple fruit as well as unsliced blueberry and blackberry were immersed in AACaN (10 and 20 µg/mL) at two different concentrations for five minutes before being put in packed polypropylene plastic bags and maintained at 5 °C. According to the quality evaluations of pH, DPPH, 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hardness, total soluble solid content (TSS), and sensory analysis. AACaN at 20 µg/mL has the ability to preserve freshly cut fruits of apples as well as unsliced blueberries and blackberries, thereby effectively extending fruits 20-day shelf life in comparison to control (untreated) fruits. This study has concluded that the AA is an ideal source to synthesis calcium oxide nanoparticles, and it was proved by materially characterizing. Moreover, the AACaN at 20 µg/mL proved the apples, blueberry, and blackberry fruits shelf life, which also added a large nutritional value while maintaining a storage quality.