Influence of Anthocyanin Concentration on the Performance of Papaya Freshness Indicator
Abstract
Indonesia is one of the world’s largest producers of papaya (Carica papaya L.); however, its consumption rate remains relatively low. Papaya is rich in vitamins, especially vitamin A, and is commonly processed into fresh-cut fruit to improve convenience. However, fresh-cut papaya is susceptible to quality deterioration due to tissue damage caused by minimal processing, resulting in a shorter shelf life. Smart packaging with freshness indicator labels can be used to monitor freshness changes in fresh-cut fruit during storage. In this study, anthocyanin extracted from purple sweet potato waste (Ipomoea batatas L.) was used as a natural pH-sensitive dye for freshness indicator labels. This study aimed to determine the effect of different anthocyanin concentrations (0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, and 2.5%) on the color change of freshness indicator labels during 7 days of fresh-cut papaya (Carica papaya L. var. Calina) storage at 4±2 °C. The results showed that anthocyanin concentration did not significantly affect the color change of the indicator labels during storage (p > 0.05). However, the label color response was more closely associated with freshness parameters, particularly CO₂ concentration in the packaging headspace and fruit firmness. These findings indicate that anthocyanin-based freshness indicator labels have potential for monitoring freshness changes in fresh-cut papaya, although their performance is influenced by the physicochemical changes occurring in the packaged fruit during cold storage.
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