Introduction. Edible coatings are traditionally used to improve food appearance and preservation. They act as barriers during processing, handling and storage, and do not solely retard food deterioration, enhancing its quality, but are safe due to natural biocide activity, or to the incorporation of antimicrobial compounds. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of A. vera, applied as an edible coating, on the changes in physicochemical parameters related to tomato fruit quality during storage in ambient conditions (22 °C and 80% RH), as well as its role in controlling microbial spoilage. Materials and methods. The changes in physical, chemical and textural properties of commercial tomato cv. Charleston were evaluated during a storage period of 17 days in ambient conditions according to their coating (treatments), or not (control), with an aqueous extract of pure A. vera or diluted (2:1) in distilled water. Results. The pure aqueous extract of Aloe vera totally inhibited the growth of Rhizoctonia solani and Alternaria alternata, while it did not show antimicrobial activity against Phytophthora parasitica. The diluted aqueous extract of Aloe vera coating maintained the quality of the tomatoes during storage in ambient conditions, delaying ripening, although it did not constitute an effective barrier against weight loss. Conclusion. Our fundamental results may be useful to breeders and postharvest technologists, as well as distributors, importers and exporters, in handling and processing tomatoes.

Introduction. Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is a tropical fruit that isfamous for its edible pulp. This edible pulp makes up only 30% of the total fruit, whilethe remaining pericarp and seed are regarded as waste. Facing the increasing public demandfor naturally safe foods and products, our study aimed to elucidate the antioxidantcapacity and antibacterial activity of different parts of mangosteen, including thepericarp, pulp and seed. Materials and methods. The antioxidant capacities ofmangosteen’s pericarp, pulp and seed extracts were determined using the ferric reducingantioxidant power (FRAP) assay and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, whereasantibacterial activity was determined using the disc diffusion method.Results. The pericarp extract exhibited higher antioxidant capacities thanthose of pulp and seed extracts, with a Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC)value of 122.00 µM·g–1 and ferrous sulphate equivalent antioxidant capacity (FEAC) valueof 18.99 mM·g–1. All mangosteen extracts showed strong inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC11632, while only the pericarp extract was effectiveagainst Bacillus cereus ATCC10876. No inhibition againstEscherichia coli ATCC10536 was observed. Conclusion. Theoutcomes of our study could facilitate future application of mangosteen waste as abiopreservative in the food industry.