Trends in coatings and shelf-life extension on exotic and tropical fruits

High quality produce that lasts a while and is safe to eat. These are two priorities for today’s consumers. For more than 25 years, AGRICOAT NATURESEAL has been working on just that in collaboration with universities, the USDA, as well as different companies. The company’s capabilities cover three different sectors. “First of all, we offer a range of environmentally friendly produce washes, used to clean and decontaminate fruits and vegetables,” says Simon Matthews with AgriCoat NatureSeal in the United Kingdom. “Our product gives operators the chance to eliminate chlorine washes and even reduce water consumption,” he added. These solutions are also acceptable for organic produce.

In addition, the company offers plant-based edible coatings that are applied postharvest to delay ripening and reduce spoilage in whole fruits. Applied in a similar way to traditional fruit waxes, the coatings create odorless, tasteless invisible coatings that slow respiration and delay ripening, “Our coatings are made from ingredients that are fully edible and biodegradable.”

Finally, the NatureSeal side of the family offers vitamin-mineral blends that are used to maintain quality and shelf-life in minimally processed and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. These blends are applied after cutting and peeling the produce. “They extend shelf life for up to two weeks by preventing browning, loss of texture, purge, and taste for more than a dozen different types of cut produce.” NatureSeal products are sulphite and allergen free and are suitable for vegans. In addition, they are Kosher and Halal certified and many are approved for use in organic production.

Trends in coatings and shelf-life extension

In an effort to reduce or eliminate packaging inputs such as plastics, AgriCoat NatureSeal has been witnessing an increased interest in companies willing to explore the benefits of coatings on a wider range of fruits, including more exotic and tropical fruits. “Citrus fruits and tree fruits such as apples have been routinely waxed for many decades to improve storage life and protect against shrink and post-harvest losses. However, the use on exotic and tropical fruit is more recent,” said Matthews.

While there is a trend towards the reduction of plastic, the pandemic has brought to the fore the benefits packaging offers in terms of keeping produce clean and safe. “Packaging clearly has an important role, and it is too simplistic to say edible coatings can eliminate these technologies,” commented Matthews. “There is no magic bullet, but we are finding our coatings deliver some interesting benefits in the process of eliminating excessive packaging.”

When it comes to shelf-life extension for fresh-cut produce, the return of foodservice has resulted in an increase in demand for more specialty NatureSeal solutions. “In recent years, solutions for avocado have been growing strongly and this is once again the case as many of our fresh-cut processors are re-introducing eye catching and specialty ingredients such as banana slices and stone fruit.”