BABASSU MESOCARP-BASED COATING WITH AMAZONIAN PLANT EXTRACTS OBTAINED USING NATURAL DEEP EUTECTIC SOLVENTS (NADES) FOR TOMATO PRESERVATION

Petrochemical plastics dominate food packaging due to their low cost and technical-functional properties, but their non-renewable origin, persistence, and generation of micro- and nanoplastics raise environmental and health concerns. Active biopolymers with phytochemicals are gaining attention as more sustainable alternatives to reduce post-harvest losses and extend the shelf life of food products. In this study, innovative active coatings were developed using babassu mesocarp (BM) as the polymer matrix, enriched with extracts from yellow Uxi bark (YU) and Jambolan leaves (JL) prepared with natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES). NADES were formulated with choline chloride, citric acid, and 30% water under heating (60°Cfor 2 h). Extracts (YU-CA and JL-CA) were obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction (45°C for 2 h). Coating suspensions were prepared with BM (4 g/100 g suspension), homogenized (15 min), and heated (90°C for 10 min). After cooling to 60°C, YU-CA or JL-CA extracts (100 g/10 g BM) were incorporated and homogenized. Cherry tomatoes (CT) were coated by double immersion (20 s each, drying for 20 min between immersions) using YU-CA-coating, JL-CA-coating, or distilled water (control) and stored for 9 days at 25°C. Antioxidant assays showed that JL-CA-coating (79.4% ± 0.55) exhibited higher DPPH inhibition compared to YU-CA-coating (75.14% ± 1.22). Minimum bactericidal concentration assays confirmed antimicrobial activity: YU-CA-coating and JL-CA-coating, respectively, inhibited Staphylococcus aureus (750 and 375 mg/mL), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (93.75 and 187.5 mg/mL), Escherichia coli (750 mg/mL both), and Salmonella spp. (750 mg/mL both). During storage, all CT presented weight loss. Firmness decreased progressively in control samples (3.83 ± 0.66 N to 2.44 ± 0.44 N), while JL-CA-coating samples maintained values throughout storage (3.33 ± 0.40 N to 2.81 ± 0.79 N), and CT with YU-CA-coating showed stabilization after day 7. Tomato color (a*/b*) was not significantly affected. Control samples showed an increase in pH (3.89 ± 0.03 to 4.42 ± 0.19), while coated fruits maintained stable values. Titratable acidity decreased in control samples after day 3 but remained constant in coated groups. Microbiological analysis revealed the absence of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli in all treatments. Total plate counts and yeast/mold growth appeared only on day 9 in control and JL-CA-coating samples. Yeast or mold growth was not detected in YU-CA-coating samples. Overall, BM-based coatings enriched with YU-CA and JL-CA preserved cherry tomato quality, delayed microbial growth, and stabilized physicochemical parameters. These coatings provide a more sustainable and effective way to extend shelf life and minimize post-harvest losses.