Abstract / Summary
Abstract Postharvest deterioration of fresh fruits remains a major challenge in the food industry due to microbial spoilage, moisture loss, and physicochemical degradation. Growing demand for safe and environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic preservatives has increased interest in natural bioactive compounds and edible coatings. This study investigated the phytochemical characteristics and postharvest preservation efficiency of yellow (ARW), red (ARR), and purple (ARP) chrysanthemum flower extracts incorporated into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based edible coatings for maintaining grape quality during room- temperature storage. Phytochemical screening revealed abundant bioactive compounds, including phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, terpenoids, anthocyanins, and glycosides. Purple chrysanthemum extract (ARP) exhibited the highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents (40.68 ± 0.37 mg GAE/g DW and 35.92 ± 0.23 mg QE/g DW, respectively) and superior antioxidant activity in DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. Ethanolic extracts also demonstrated pronounced antimicrobial activity against bacterial and fungal pathogens associated with food spoilage. CMC coatings enriched with chrysanthemum extract significantly improved the postharvest quality and storage stability of grapes stored at 20 ± 1 °C. Among the treatments, CMC + ARP (3%) showed the greatest preservation efficiency by reducing microbial growth, delaying physicochemical deterioration, minimizing weight loss, and maintaining total soluble solids compared with untreated grapes. These findings demonstrate a strong relationship between flower pigmentation, phytochemical accumulation, antioxidant potential, and preservation efficiency. Overall, chrysanthemum flower extract represents a promising multifunctional natural preservative for edible coatings, sustainable food packaging, and postharvest management, with potential to extend fruit shelf life while reducing reliance on synthetic chemical preservatives.