Submit your papersSubmit Now
For Enquiries: [email protected]
IIARD LogoIIARD

Effect of Coconut and Sesame Oil-Based Edible Coatings on the Microbial and Physicochemical Quality of Tomatoes ( Solanum Lycopersicum )

Omorodion, Nnenna J.P and Reginald Ibinabo F

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of coconut oil and sesame oil coatings on the microbial and physicochemical quality of tomatoes during storage. The objective was to evaluate the potential of these natural edible oils in extending the shelf life and maintaining the postharvest quality of fresh tomatoes. Fresh, ripe tomatoes were coated with either coconut oil or sesame oil, while uncoated fruits served as controls. All samples were stored under ambient (28 ± 2°C) and refrigerated (4 ± 1°C) conditions. Microbial assessments were conducted to determine total bacterial, coliform, staphylococcal, and fungal counts, while physicochemical parameters such as pH, colour, firmness, and percentage weight loss were also evaluated. The results indicated that microbial populations increased progressively in all treatments during storage but were significantly lower in coated tomatoes compared to the uncoated controls. During storage at ambient temperature, the total bacterial count of uncoated tomatoes increased from 1.40 log cfu/g to 2.08 log cfu/g, while coconut- oil-coated tomatoes increased from 1.25 log cfu/g to 2.25 log cfu/g . Under refrigeration, the microbial counts of the coated tomatoes were the lowest (0.75–1.85 log cfu/g). Coated samples also maintained greater firmness, lower weight loss (2.1–3.9%), and more stable pH compared with uncoated samples (4.7–9.1% weight loss). The main bacterial isolates were Bacillus spp (30%), Staphylococcus spp (25%), and Lactobacillus spp (25%), while Penicillium spp (35%) and Aspergillus spp (35%) were the predominant fungi. Overall, both coconut and sesame oil coatings were effective in reducing microbial spoilage and delaying the deterioration of tomatoes, although sesame oil showed slightly higher antifungal activity. The combination of oil coating with refrigeration proved most effective in extending tomato shelf life compared to the rapid spoilage of uncoated fruits. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that edible oil coatings, particularly coconut oil, combined with refrigerated storage, are effective natural preservation strategies for extending the shelf life of tomatoes while maintaining acceptable microbial safety and physicochemical quality. These findings demonstrate that edible oil coatings represent safe, economical, and environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic preservatives for maintaining the quality of perishable produce.

Keywords

; Coconut oilSesame oilEdible coatingsTomatoShelf lifeMicrobial quality and Physicochemical quality

References

Yadav, A., Kumar, N., Upadhyay, A., Sethi, S., & Singh, A. (2022). Edible coating as postharvest management strategy for shelf-life extension of fresh tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.): An overview. Journal of food science, 87(6), 2256–2290. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16145 Aljabary, A. M. A. O., Awlqadr, F. H., Altemimi, A. B., Abdulrahman, A. B. M., Saeed, M. N., & Hesarinejad, M. A. (2025). Advances in oil-based edible coatings for postharvest preservation of fruits and vegetables: A comprehensive review of biopolymer types, functional plant oils, nanoemulsion systems, and application techniques. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 24, 102425. Perez-Vazquez A, Barciela P, Carpena M, Prieto MA. Edible Coatings as a Natural Packaging System to Improve Fruit and Vegetable Shelf Life and Quality. Foods. 2023; 12(19):3570. https://doi.org/10.3390/ Li, Z., Wu, M., Yan, H., Meng, Z., Gao, B., & Dong, Q. (2024). Antibacterial Effect and Possible Mechanism of Sesamol against Foodborne Pathogens. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 13(3), 435. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods1303043 Yadav, S., Malik, K., Sharma, K., Dhillon, P., & Harikarthik, D. (2025). Assessment of chitosan-based edible coatings containing bioactive compounds derived from agricultural residue for improving postharvest quality characteristics of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Frontiers in nutrition, 12, 1673029. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1673029 Langyan, S., Yadava, P., Sharma, S., Gupta, N. C., Bansal, R., Yadav, R., Kalia, S., & Kumar, A. (2022). Food and nutraceutical functions of sesame oil: An underutilized crop for nutritional and health benefits. Food Chemistry, 389, 132990. Yami, M., Liverpool-Tasie, L. S. O., Olaoye, I., Wossen, T., Feleke, S., & Abdoulaye, T. (2025). Adoption of postharvest innovations to minimize tomato losses in Nigeria. Scientific reports, 15(1), 30418. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15618-0 Molelekoa T, Karoney EM, Siyoum N, Gokul JK, Korsten L. Quality and Quantity Losses of Tomatoes Grown by Small-Scale Farmers Under Different Production Systems. Horticulturae. 2025; 11(8):884. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11080884 Ali, A., Xia, C., Ouattara, N., Mahmood, I., & Faisal, M. (2021). Economic and environmental consequences of postharvest loss across food supply chain in the developing countries. Journal of Cleaner Production, 323, 129146. Campos, C.A., Gerschenson, L.N. & Flores, S.K. Development of Edible Films and Coatings with Antimicrobial Activity. Food Bioprocess Technol 4, 849–875 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-010-0434-1 Milani, J.M., Nemati, A. Lipid-Based Edible Films and Coatings: A Review of Recent Advances and Applications. J Package Technol Res 6, 11–22 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41783-021-00130-3 Bhardwaj V. (2025). Antimicrobial Potential of Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Oil on Bacterial Isolates. Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 1476, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2023_786 Anzaku, A. A., Assikong, E. B., Akeh, M., Upla, P. T., & Tuluma, T. K. (2017). Antimicrobial activity of coconut oil and its derivative (lauric acid) on some selected clinical isolates. International Journal of Medical Science and Clinical Invention, 4(8), 3173–3177. https://doi.org/10.18535/ijmsci/v4i8.12 Wu, M. S., Aquino, L. B. B., Barbaza, M. Y. U., Hsieh, C. L., Castro-Cruz, K. A., Yang, L. L., & Tsai, P. W. (2019). Anti-Inflammatory and Anticancer Properties of Bioactive Compounds from Sesamum indicum L.-A Review. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 24(24), 4426. Langyan, S., Yadava, P., Sharma, S., Gupta, N. C., Bansal, R., Yadav, R., Kalia, S., & Kumar, A. (2022).Food and nutraceutical functions of sesame oil: An underutilized crop for nutritional and health benefits.Food Chemistry, 389, 132990.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.132990 Karanth, S., Feng, S., Patra, D., & Pradhan, A. K. (2023). Linking microbial contamination to food spoilage and food waste: the role of smart packaging, spoilage risk assessments, and date labeling. Frontiers in microbiology, 14, 1198124. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1198124 Salehi, F. (2020). Edible Coating of Fruits and Vegetables Using Natural Gums: A Review. International Journal of Fruit Science, 20(sup2), S570–S589. https://doi.org/10.1080/15538362.2020.1746730 Kaczmarek, M., Avery, S. V., & Singleton, I. (2019). Microbes associated with fresh produce: Sources, types and methods to reduce spoilage and contamination. In G. M. Gadd & S. Sariaslani (Eds.), Advances in Applied Microbiology (Vol. 107, pp. 29–82). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.aambs.2019.02.001 Karnwal, A., Kumar, G., Singh, R., Selvaraj, M., Malik, T., & Al Tawaha, A. R. M. (2025). Natural biopolymers in edible coatings: Applications in food preservation. Food Chemistry: X, 25, 102171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fochx.2025.102171 Dávila-Aviña, J. E., Villa-Rodríguez, J. A., Villegas-Ochoa, M. A., Tortoledo-Ortiz, O., Olivas, G. I., Ayala-Zavala, J. F., & González-Aguilar, G. A. (2014). Effect of edible coatings on bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of tomatoes at different maturity stages. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 51(10), 2706–2712. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-012-0771-3 Balali, G. I., Yar, D. D., Afua Dela, V. G., & Adjei-Kusi, P. (2020). Microbial Contamination, an Increasing Threat to the Consumption of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Today's World. International journal of microbiology, 2020, 3029295. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3029295 Ruiz-Martínez, J., Aguirre-Joya, J. A., Rojas, R., Vicente, A., Aguilar-González, M. A., Rodríguez-Herrera, R., Alvarez-Perez, O. B., Torres-León, C., & Aguilar, C. N. (2020). Candelilla wax edible coating with Flourensia cernua bioactives to prolong the quality of tomato fruits. Foods, 9(9), 1303. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9091303 Alegbeleye, O. O., Singleton, I., & Sant'Ana, A. S. (2018). Sources and contamination routes of microbial pathogens to fresh produce during field cultivation: A review. Food microbiology, 73, 177–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2018.01.003 International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods. (2005). Microorganisms in foods 6: Microbial ecology of food commodities (2nd ed.). Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations & World Health Organization. (2003). Assuring food safety and quality: Guidelines for strengthening national food control systems (Food and Nutrition Paper No. 76). Yadav, S., Malik, K., Sharma, K., Dhillon, P., & Harikarthik, D. (2025). Assessment of chitosan-based edible coatings containing bioactive compounds derived from agricultural residue for improving postharvest quality characteristics of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Frontiers in nutrition, 12, 1673029. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1673029 Kumar, A., & Saini, C. S. (2021).Edible composite bi-layer coating based on whey protein isolate, xanthan gum and clove oil for prolonging shelf life of tomatoes. Measurement: Food, 2, 100005https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meafoo.2021.100005 Muna, A., Aflaha, R., Salsabila, S., Rusliman, D., Triyana, K., Rianjanu, A., Wibowo, C., & Wasisto, H. S. (2026). Polysaccharide-based layer-by-layer edible coatings for shelf- life extension of fresh tomatoes. Sustainable Food Technology. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5FB00555H Alemu, T.T., Intipunya, P. & Gebeyo, B.A. A comprehensive review of edible coatings for postharvest management of fruits and vegetables: enhancing food and nutrition security. Discov Agric 3, 190 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44279-025-00348-8 .