ABSTRACT
Longan fruits contain high amounts of bioactive compounds, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, hydrolysable tannins, and polysaccharides. Due to their sweet and fragile flesh, longans possess a high commercial value and are consumed in the fresh and processed forms, such as canned longan in syrup, dried fruits, or drinks for refreshment. Prior to storage, longan fruits are subjected to hydrocooling or room or forced-air cooling, which can extend the storage life when combined with low storage temperature. After harvesting, pericarp browning, postharvest decay, and water loss are the major factors which can reduce the shelf life and limit the export of longan fruits to long distant markets. Various technologies have been conducted to overcome pericarp browning, postharvest decay, and water loss and therefore preserve the quality of fresh longan fruits for longer period. These technologies include sulfite treatments, chlorine dioxide treatments, treatments with antibrowning and antimicrobial agents, controlled atmosphere/modified atmosphere packaging, and chitosan coating.
