Application of Gum Arabic as Edible Coating for Improving Postharvest Quality of Potato Tubers

Hydrocolloid gums are extensively used in food industry. Recently hydrocolloid gums especially Gum Arabic (GA) has been widely used as edible coatings to extent shelf life of postharvest fruits and vegetables. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of GA edible film application mixed with glycerol and CaCl2as base matrix with all GA films i.e. GA/EDTA,GA/L. paracasei supernatant and GA/EDTA /L. paracasei supernatant in preservation of potato tubers stored at 8°C and 30±5°C for 35 days. Physicochemical analyses including pH, weight loss percentage and total soluble solids percentage (TSS), as well as microbial analysis (total counts of bacteria, mold and yeast and Enterobacteriaceae).The obtained result revealed that the total microbial count was found that GA/EDTA/ L. paracasei supernatant gave a very close results to petroleum coating (wax) and the best results compared withnoncoated (control) tubers, this was evident through the lower microbial load, better results than other treatments and noncoated tubers such as reducing weight loss, total soluble solids, better control on pH and expansion of the shelf life. Keyword: Potatotubers, Postharvest quality, Edible coating, Gum Arabic, EDTA, L. paracasei, Microbial count.