Postharvest Application of Holy Basil Essential Oil Infused Chitosan Coating for Microbial Safety and Shelf Life Extension of Fresh Cut Cucumber

Characterization of Holy basil ( Ocimum gratissimum ) essential oil identified eugenol, octadien‐3‐ol, and borneol as its key antimicrobial volatiles. Chitosan coating was formulated with four different concentrations of Holy basil EO (0.5%–2.0% v/v) and coated over fresh cut cucumber slices prepared for ready‐to‐eat salad packs (washed, peeled, cut into 2 cm slices) to study its effect on physicochemical, microbiological, and sensorial parameters during storage. Chitosan coatings with 1.5% (v/v) Holy basil EO reduced the total plate count, Y&M count and coliform count without significantly affecting the physicochemical properties during storage. Addition of Holy basil essential oil increased the thickness, water vapor permeability, tensile strength of chitosan coating while decreasing its particle size for proper surface distribution. Fresh cut cucumbers coated under optimized coating conditions retained all quality and sensory characteristics (7.7 points) even on the 12th day of storage under refrigeration conditions. However, the shelf life of uncoated and only chitosan coated fresh cut cucumber was only 5–6 days and 9 days, respectively, after which microbial levels surpassed acceptable limits with physicochemical properties deterioration. The study explores essential oil‐based edible coatings for extending the shelf life of fresh cut salad vegetables while preserving their physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory qualities.