Delaying the Ripening of Banana Fruit and Increased Storage Shelf-Life Using Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Oil (Menthol–Thymol)-In-Water Nanoemulsion Coating

Hydrophobic deep eutectic oil (menthol-thymol)-in-water nanoemulsion was developed to preserve the quality of banana fruit and extend their storage shelf life. Storage preservation of bananas presents several challenges due to their high respiration rate, ethylene production, and susceptibility to various physiological and biochemical changes. The storage shelf life of bananas is relatively short compared to other fruits due to the combination of rapid ripening and sensitivity to ethylene and temperature. In this study, the effectiveness of HyDEN treatment was assessed on changes in banana fruit’s physiological parameters such as firmness, weight loss, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and colour for 14 days storage time [25 °C ± 1 °C, 67% relative humidity (RH)]. HyDEN treatment preserved the physicochemical characteristics of banana fruit and was effective in delaying the ripening process. The storage shelf life of banana fruit treated with HyDEN increased for 14 days compared to control that ripened and physically damaged after 8 days of storage. This study provided a new delivery system for applying HyDEN as an edible coating to fruit after harvest preservation.