Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp2 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Impact of silver nanoparticles infused biopolymer coatings on post-harvest quality attributes of guava

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.12566
Submitted
3 November 2025
Published
12-05-2026

Abstract

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is a climacteric fruit characterised by sustained ethylene production even after ripening, which induces rapid physiological and biochemical changes, thereby reducing shelf-life and increasing susceptibility to chilling injury and microbial spoilage during storage. This underlines the imperative need for an innovative method to overcome postharvest losses. This work attempts to bridge the research gaps to improve the post-harvest shelf life and improve the quality attributes of guava fruits by coating it with different polymers imbedded with antimicrobial silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The antimicrobial efficiency of AgNPs peaked at the concentration of 100 µg mL-1 with the inhibition zone of 33 mm against postharvest pathogen Aspergillus flavus using agar well diffusion method. Biopolymer coatings like beeswax, xanthan gum, gelatin and guar gum which are naturally available, edible and eco-friendly, act as an impervious barrier against water loss, improve the peel coloration and maintain the firmness and texture. These AgNPs imbedded biopolymer coatings created an immense impact on post-harvest quality attributes like titratable acidity (TA), reducing and non-reducing sugars. The best results were observed in the T2 (Beeswax + AgNPs) as revealed by the highest TA of 0.38 %, lowest decay rate of 60 % and lowest reducing and non-reducing sugars of 3.02 % and 2.65 % on the 12th day after imposing the treatments. These coatings not only act as a barrier against water loss but also reduce respiration, slow down the metabolic rate, and prevent microbial decay, which leads to a better acid–sugar balance, thereby imparting improved sensory attributes.

References

  1. 1. Rana S, Siddiqui S, Goyal A. Extension of the shelf life of guava by individual packaging with cling and shrink films. J Food Sci Technol. 2015;52:8148–55. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-015-1881-5
  2. 2. Chen N, Wei W, Yang Y, Chen L, Shan W, Chen J, et al. Postharvest physiology and handling of guava fruit. Foods. 2024;13(5):805. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13050805
  3. 3. Huang H, Wang L, Qiu D, Zhang N, Bi F. Changes of morphology, chemical compositions and the biosynthesis regulations of cuticle in response to chilling injury of banana fruit during storage. Front Plant Sci. 2021;12:792384. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.792384
  4. 4. Lim TK, Manicom BQ. Diseases of guava. In: Diseases of tropical fruit crops. 2003:275–89. https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851993904.0275
  5. 5. Embaby EM, Hassan MK. Decay of guava fruit (Psidium guajava Linn.) quality caused by some mold fungi. J Agric Technol. 2015;11(3):713–30.
  6. 6. Meena SS, Sharma A, Kumar S, Verma RK, Acharya VS. Quantitative assessment of post-harvest losses of guava (Psidium guajava) in Rajasthan. Curr Agric Res J. 2023;11(3):1030–40. https://doi.org/10.12944/CARJ.11.3.31
  7. 7. Singh DP, Packirisamy G. Biopolymer based edible coating for enhancing the shelf life of horticulture products. Food Chem Mol Sci. 2022;4:100085. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fochms.2022.100085
  8. 8. Hmmam I, Zaid NM, Mamdouh B, Abdallatif A, Abd-Elfattah M, Ali M. Storage behavior of “Seddik” mango fruit coated with CMC and guar gum-based silver nanoparticles. Horticulturae. 2021;7(3):44. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7030044
  9. 9. Lambré C, Barat Baviera JM, Bolognesi C, Chesson A, Cocconcelli PS, Crebelli R, et al. EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP). Safety assessment of the substance silver nanoparticles for use in food contact materials. EFSA J. 2021;19(8):e06790. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6790
  10. 10. Ananth J, Manjula BS, Kurien S, Enoch IVMV, Madhumitha B. Green synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles using neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf extract. Biol Forum – An Int J. 2023;15(5):573–7.
  11. 11. Yadav SG, Patil SH, Patel P, Nair V, Khan S, Kakkar S, et al. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from plant sources and evaluation of their antimicrobial activity. Adv Tech Mater Charact. 2018;5:133–9.
  12. 12. Kowsalya E, Mosachristas K, Balashanmugam P, Manivasagan V, Devasena T, Jaquline CRI. Sustainable use of biowaste for synthesis of silver nanoparticles and its incorporation into gelatin-based nanocomposite films for antimicrobial food packaging applications. J Food Process Eng. 2021;44(3):13641. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfpe.13641
  13. 13. García-Betanzos CI, Hernández-Sánchez H, Bernal-Couoh TF, Quintanar-Guerrero D, de la Luz Zambrano-Zaragoza M. Physicochemical, total phenols and pectin methylesterase changes on quality maintenance on guava fruit (Psidium guajava L.) coated with candeuba wax solid lipid nanoparticles-xanthan gum. Food Res Int. 2017;101:218–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2017.08.065
  14. 14. Malik S, Kanpure RN, Bagde VP, Malik V, Raidas DK. Effect of different surface coating materials on chemical characteristics of guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. Allahabad safeda fruits. Pharma Innov Int J. 2022;11(11):477–80.
  15. 15. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (US). Official and tentative methods of analysis. 13th ed. 1980.
  16. 16. Matar C, Gaucel S, Gontard N, Guilbert S, Guillard V. A global visual method for measuring the deterioration of strawberries in MAP. MethodsX. 2018;5:944–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2018.07.012
  17. 17. Panse VG, Sukhatme PV. Statistical method for agricultural workers. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi; 1985:347 pp.
  18. 18. Kuruppu M, Ling KL, Ding P, Ahmad K, Ali A, Siddiqui Y. Decoding the fruit microbiome: a climate smart strategy to manage postharvest decays. Horticultural Plant J. 2024;10(5):1061–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpj.2023.02.017
  19. 19. Alshannaq AF, Gibbons JG, Lee MK, Han KH, Hong SB, Yu JH. Controlling aflatoxin contamination and propagation of Aspergillus flavus by a soy-fermenting Aspergillus oryzae strain. Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):16871. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35246-1
  20. 20. Grande-Tovar CD, Chaves-López C, Serio A, Rossi C, Paparella A. Chitosan coatings enriched with essential oils: effects on fungi involved in fruit decay and mechanisms of action. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2018;78:61–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2018.05.019
  21. 21. Asghar MA, Zahir E, Asghar MA, Iqbal J, Rehman AA. Facile, one-pot biosynthesis and characterization of iron, copper and silver nanoparticles using Syzygium cumini leaf extract as an effective antimicrobial and aflatoxin B1 adsorption agent. PLoS ONE. 2020;15:234964. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234964
  22. 22. Hashem AH, Saied E, Amin BH, Alotibi FO, Al-Askar AA, Arishi AA, et al. Antifungal activity of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against aspergilli causing aspergillosis: ultrastructure study. J Funct Biomater. 2022;13(4):242. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb13040242
  23. 23. Yin IX, Zhang J, Zhao IS, Mei ML, Li Q, Chu CH. The antibacterial mechanism of silver nanoparticles and its application in dentistry. Int J Nanomed. 2020;17:2555–62. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S246764
  24. 24. Kim SW, Jung JH, Lamsal K, Kim YS, Min JS, Lee YS. Antifungal effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against various plant pathogenic fungi. Mycobiology. 2012;40(1):53–8. https://doi.org/10.5941/MYCO.2012.40.1.053
  25. 25. Yadav A, Kumar N, Upadhyay A, Fawole OA, Mahawar MK, Jalgaonkar K, et al. Recent advances in novel packaging technologies for shelf-life extension of guava fruits for retaining health benefits for longer duration. Plants. 2022;11(4):547. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11040547
  26. 26. Yu J, Tseng Y, Pham K, Liu M, Beckles DM. Starch and sugars as determinants of postharvest shelf life and quality: some new and surprising roles. Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2022;78:102844. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102844
  27. 27. El Buluk RE, Babiker FE, El Tinay AH. Changes in sugar, ash and minerals in four guava cultivars during ripening. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 1996;49(2):147–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01091972
  28. 28. Nishanth AC, Suresh V, Monicka AA, Madhumitha B, Vidhya B, Gopi V, et al. Effect of silver nitrate and silver nanoparticles on shelf life and quality of table grapes var. Muscat Hamburg. Biol Forum – An Int J. 2023;15(5):563–8.
  29. 29. Thammachote N, Sripong K, Uthairatanakij A, Laohakunjit N, Limmatvapirat S, Ma G, et al. Influence of silver nanoparticles on postharvest disease, pericarp hardening and quality of mangosteen. Postharvest Biol Technol. 2023;204:112470. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2023.112470
  30. 30. Gunaydin S, Karaca H, Palou L, de la Fuente B, Pérez-Gago MB. Effect of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-beeswax composite edible coatings formulated with or without antifungal agents on physicochemical properties of plums during cold storage. J Food Qual. 2017;2017:8573549. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/8573549
  31. 31. Zhang W, Jiang Y, Zhang Z. The role of different natural organic acids in postharvest fruit quality management and its mechanism. Food Front. 2023;4(3):1127–43. https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.245
  32. 32. Cha GH, Kumarihami HMPC, Kim HL, Kwack YB, Kim JG. Storage temperature influences fruit ripening and changes in organic acids of kiwifruit treated with exogenous ethylene. Hort Sci Technol. 2019;37(5):618–29. https://doi.org/10.7235/HORT.20190062
  33. 33. Lufu R, Ambaw A, Opara UL. Water loss of fresh fruit: influencing pre-harvest, harvest and postharvest factors. Sci Hortic. 2020;272:109519. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2020.109519
  34. 34. Zhang C, Li W, Zhu B, Chen H, Chi H, Li L, et al. The quality evaluation of postharvest strawberries stored in nano-Ag packages at refrigeration temperature. Polym. 2018;10(8):894. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10080894
  35. 35. Dube E, Okuthe GE. Silver nanoparticle-based antimicrobial coatings: sustainable strategies for microbial contamination control. Microbiol Res. 2025;16(6):110. https://doi.org/10.3390/microbiolres16060110
  36. 36. Kurek-Górecka A, Olczyk P. Bee products and skin therapy. In: Bee products and their applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Academic Press; 2022:25–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-85400-9.00016-2

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.