Effect of coating using beeswax and sodium nitroprusside on chlorophyll stability and quality factors of lime during cold storage.

This article investigates the effects of coating lime fruits (Citrus floridana) with beeswax (BW) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide donor, to enhance chlorophyll stability and overall post-harvest quality during cold storage. Various treatments combining BW (0.1%) and SNP at different concentrations (0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mM) were applied to limes stored at 8 °C for 60 days, with analyses of weight loss, juice content, firmness, chlorophyll content, chlorophyllase and polyphenol oxidase activities, color, total acidity, ascorbic acid, and sensory qualities. The study found that coatings combining BW enriched with SNP (notably treatments S12, S13, and S14) were most effective in maintaining lime quality by reducing weight loss, preserving chlorophyll and firmness, inhibiting enzymatic degradation, and delaying color changes compared to single treatments or controls. The enhanced effect is attributed to chemical interactions between SNP and BW components, suggesting that BW enriched with SNP coatings can be used to extend the shelf life and marketability of cold-stored limes.