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Carvacrol Encapsulation in Chitosan–Carboxymethylcellulose–Alginate Nanocarriers for Postharvest Tomato Protection

Summary

Researchers created tiny nanocarriers made from natural biopolymers that can deliver carvacrol, a natural antimicrobial compound from oregano and thyme, to protect tomatoes from fungal rot after harvest. These nano-sized delivery systems were more effective than the unencapsulated carvacrol at fighting three common postharvest fungal pathogens. The treatment is safe and could offer a sustainable alternative to conventional fungicides for keeping harvested tomatoes fresh longer.

Background

Postharvest fruit deterioration poses significant challenges to food security and shelf life. Biopolymer-based delivery systems present promising strategies for encapsulating bioactive compounds to enhance their stability, absorption, and functionality in agricultural applications.

Objective

To synthesize, characterize, and evaluate nanocarriers formed from chitosan oligomers, carboxymethylcellulose, and alginate for encapsulating carvacrol and assessing their effectiveness for postharvest tomato protection against fungal pathogens.

Results

Hollow nanospheres with mean diameter of 114 nm and approximately 20% carvacrol loading capacity were produced. Minimum inhibitory concentrations ranged from 23.3 to 31.3 μg·mL−1 against three phytopathogens. Ex situ tests on tomatoes required doses of 50–100 μg·mL−1 for high protection depending on the pathogen, demonstrating superior efficacy compared to non-encapsulated carvacrol.

Conclusion

The COS–CMC–ALG nanocarrier system successfully encapsulated and delivered carvacrol with promising antifungal activity against postharvest pathogens. The approach offers safety advantages and multi-target mode of action potential, warranting further exploration for postharvest crop protection applications despite slightly lower efficacy compared to some conventional fungicides.
  • Published in:International Journal of Molecular Sciences,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research,
  • Source: 10.3390/ijms25021104, PMID: 38256176
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