Formulation and evaluation of nanoemulsions from Jasminum officinale essential oil for controlling postharvest browning and maintaining quality in jasmine (Jasminum sambac) flowers

testing confirmed the inhibitory effects of JEN on jasmine flower browning and relevant enzyme activities. Jasmine flowers were soaked in various concentrations of JEN for 5 min, packed in polyethylene plastic bags, and stored in a refrigerator at 10 ± 3°C with relative humidity 66 ± 5%. Flowers treated with 1 and 2 mg/mL JEN showed effective delay of petal browning and maintained good quality with minimum flower opening index, high freshness score, and high color retention index. JEN treatment also reduced phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and peroxidase (POD) activities, indicating postponement of the browning process. In addition, scanning electron microscopy micrographs of treated flower epidermis cells revealed delayed cell wall collapse, indicating retention of intact cells. Taken together, these results support JEN as a potential preventative of enzymatic browning and hence petal browning in jasmine flower.