Inhibition Mechanism of Water-Soluble Chitosan-Curdlan Composite Coating on the Postharvest Pathogens of and in Cherry Tomatoes.

Cherry tomatoes, a very popular fruit, are highly susceptible to microbial infestation, which cause significant economic losses. In order to preserve cherry tomatoes better, we treat them with a Chitosan (CTS) and Curdlan (CUR) composite coating. The lowest inhibitory concentration of CTS/CUR composite coating on and , the growth curves, and the changes of the cell lysis rate were determined to explore the inhibitory mechanism of CTS/CUR composite coating on and and the microscopic morphology of and was observed using scanning electron microscopy at the same time. The results showed that the CTS/CUR composite coating could effectively inhibit the growth of and , and the inhibitory effect reflected the concentration-dependent characteristics. The electron microscopy results indicated that the inhibition of and by the CTS/CUR composite coating might originate from its disruptive effect on the cell wall and cell membrane of the bacterium.