Encapsulation of Peperomia pellucida (L.) kunth leaf extract for postharvest preservation of Malang apple (Malus sylvestris) at ambient storage

This study investigated the efficacy of edible coatings based on encapsulated Peperomia pellucida leaf extract to extend the shelf life of Malang apples. An edible coating was developed by encapsulating P. pellucida leaf extract using a chitosan-STPP matrix. The optimum encapsulation efficiency observed of polyphenols and flavonoids retention was 86.25% ± 0.02 and 83.30% ± 0.04, respectively. It achieved by 2.5% chitosan, 2% STPP, and 3.5% extract in formula. The encapsulated extract was further applied to Malang apples as edible coated using varying dipping times and stored for 15 days at ambient temperature. Evaluation parameters on coated Malang apples included hardness, weight loss, pH, moisture content, and color change. A 1-min dipping time of the encapsulated extract was found to be optimal, effectively reducing physical and chemical alterations and enhancing the shelf-life quality of the apples. Therefore, the edible coating derived from encapsulated P. pellucida leaf extract presents a promising alternative for preserving Malang apples.