Introduction.
Peach brown rot caused by the fungus
Monilinia fructicola is a major disease leading
to considerable economic loss during storage. Our previous study
uncovered the striking inhibition of the natural alkaloid berberine
against M. fructicola. Materials and methods.
A berberine-chitosan composite membrane (BCCM) able to slowly release
berberine was prepared and used for peach preservation. The examined
fruits were stored at 4 °C and treated as follows: (I) control fruits without
packaging; (ii) fruits that were transiently immersed in pre-solidified
BCCM liquid and taken out; (iii) fruit coating either with a BCCM,
or with a membrane containing chitosan only (without berberine),
and (iv) fruit coating with a PVC membrane. Results and discussion.
The group immersed in BCCM showed a high infection rate due to the
cytotoxicity of acetic acid, but the coating group showed only a
10% infection rate after 40 days of storage. Moreover, the BCCM-coating
group showed a significantly lower infection rate than that coated
with chitosan membrane (without berberine), clearly indicating the
antimicrobial activity of berberine therein. Consequently, packed
in BCCM and stored at 4 °C, peach fruits could be well preserved
over 40 days with very low infection. Conclusion. Considering
its safety and low cost, the berberine-containing chitosan composite membrane
could be applicable in controlling diseases during peach storage.