Chaimae Elghouttais, a doctoral student at the CRRA Tadla – INRA, was awarded the First Prize for Best Oral Presentation at the International Conference on Innovation in Biotechnology and Health (ICIBH 2025) for her outstanding research on pomegranate postharvest preservation.

Her presentation highlighted a study from her thesis titled:
“Effect of Xanthan gum-based edible coating enriched with cloves and cinnamon for extending the shelf-life of pomegranate fruit during cold storage.”

This research was conducted at the Laboratory of Food Quality and Technology at CRRA Tadla–Béni Mellal, under the supervision of Dr. Kaoutar Elfazazi and Prof. Souad Selamoui, as part of her doctoral project on Improving the Cold Storage of Pomegranate Fruit.

Research Highlights

Edible coatings are gaining attention for their biodegradability and their ability to extend fruit shelf life. In this study, Xanthan gum-based coatings, applied alone or enriched with clove or cinnamon essential oils, were evaluated on pomegranate (cv. Sefri Ouled Abdellah) stored at 4 °C for 75 days.

The results demonstrated that coatings enriched with clove or cinnamon essential oils effectively preserved fruit quality compared to uncoated controls. Xanthan gum with Cinnamon essential oil was particularly effective, reducing weight loss, stabilizing pH and titratable acidity, and maintaining total phenolic content (TPC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), and total flavonoid content (TFC).

These findings confirm that Xanthan gum coatings enriched with cinnamon essential oil provide a cost-effective, environmentally friendly approach to maintaining the technological and biochemical quality of pomegranates during cold storage. Using biodegradable coatings offers a sustainable alternative to synthetic preservatives, supporting the growing demand for eco-conscious postharvest solutions in the food industry.

🌱 Chaimae Elghouttais’s achievement reflects the high scientific quality of research conducted at CRRA Tadla and the center’s commitment to innovative, sustainable solutions for the agri-food sector.

For more scientific details, please consult the related scientific publication at Scientific Report Journal : https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-15467-x