Efficacy of propolis extract on postharvest and nutritional quality of Cavendish banana

Natural substances like propolis and new bio-fungicides are gaining popularity for postharvest disease management. Although it offers therapeutic advantages, propolis is still underused in postharvest management. The effectiveness of propolis extract at different concentrations on the physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory quality of Cavendish bananas (Musa acuminata) during ambient storage was evaluated in this study. Fresh bananas were given propolis extract at concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15%. The treated fruits were stored at 25 ± 2 °C with 70 to 75% relative humidity for 14 days. Weight loss, firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), pH, total phenolic content, total flavonoids, vitamin C, antioxidant activity, and sensory qualities, among other key quality parameters, were regularly assessed. The use of propolis extract showed concentration-dependent effects on banana quality preservation. Compared to the control, the 15% propolis extract concentration demonstrated better performance in preserving the physicochemical integrity of the banana fruit during storage. Furthermore, it improved nutritional quality by preserving greater concentrations of vitamin C, total phenolics, and flavonoids throughout storage. Compared to the control, which showed accelerated degradation over all evaluated factors, the 5% propolis extract treatment attained the best sensory acceptability and earned the highest scores for colour, smell, texture, taste, and general customer preference. Although the 5% propolis extract treatment had the highest mean values for sensory characteristics, these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0. 05) as compared to the 15% propolis extract treatment. These results highlight the commercial potential of propolis-based treatments as environmentally friendly substitutes for artificial preservatives.