Chitosan-Based Edible Coating Containing Ascorbic Acid/Curcumin for Improving Postharvest Quality and Storability of Strawberry Fruits

• A chitosan-based edible coating containing ascorbic acid (AA) and curcumin (Cur) has been developed. • Incorporation of AA and Cur enhanced its efficacy of coating. • Coated strawberries exhibited minimal weight loss, highest firmness, and least decay. • Coating on strawberries improved its quality and extended shelf-life up to 15 days. Edible coatings are an effective strategy for extending the postharvest shelf life of fruits and vegetables. In this study, we developed a chitosan (CS)-based composite coating (CS-AA-Cur) loaded with ascorbic acid (AA) and curcumin (Cur) to synergistically enhance the cold preservation of strawberries (4°C). The coating’s efficacy relied on a dual mechanism: a CS-based physical barrier minimized water loss and oxygen penetration, while synergistic antioxidants (AA and Cur) scavenged ROS, suppressing lipid peroxidation and significantly reducing MDA content. Results demonstrated that the CS-AA-Cur coating significantly improved the postharvest quality of strawberries compared to CS alone. It effectively maintained the physicochemical properties by significantly reducing (p < 0.05) weight loss, decay rate, and the accumulation of oxidative stress markers (MDA and H 2 O 2 ). Additionally, the coating delayed fruit softening by modulating the activity of cell wall-degrading enzymes. Notably, the coating containing 20 mg Cur (CS-AA-Cur 20) exhibited the most potent preservation effect on strawberries, extending their shelf life to 15 days. These findings confirm that by integrating a physical barrier with antioxidant synergistic mechanism, the CS-AA-Cur coating holds immense potential for the preservation of perishable produce.