Edible Films and Coatings: The Future of Postharvest Fruit Preservation?

Packaging materials play a crucial role in the food industry, as they safeguard food from contamination and extend its shelf life. However, widely used synthetic polymers such as PP, LDPE, HDPE, PET, and nylon contribute to environmental pollution. Fortunately, the food industry is showing a growing interest in biodegradable materials like gelatin, starch, chitosan, cellulose, polylactic acid, and alginate as sustainable alternatives. Not only are the materials themselves important, but edible films and coatings made from these biodegradable materials are also gaining popularity due to their ability to improve shelf life and prevent contamination. The key to their success lies in finding the right balance between thickness and composition. Industry experts suggest that the ideal thickness for edible coatings or films is 0.25 mm or less. Moreover, these coatings and films should be free of toxins and allergens, environmentally friendly, and economically viable. The use of protective, edible, and biodegradable coatings and films has caught the attention of the food industry, as they have the potential to address some of the primary drivers of fruit and vegetable deterioration, such as intrinsic physiological senescence and fungal pathogen infection. Although minimal processing of fruits and vegetables is necessary to preserve their nutritional value, it can also result in quality loss due to physiological senescence, metabolic changes, and microbiological spoilage. Food Chemistry has published a comprehensive review of recent advancements in postharvest fruit preservation using edible coatings and films. The authors state that by creating a semipermeable barrier, edible coatings and films can extend the shelf life of fruit by reducing transpiration and preventing water and gas escape. This barrier helps maintain the fruit?s total soluble solids (TSS) and pH while also increasing ascorbic acid and fruit firmness over time. Moreover, edible coatings have been found to slow down microbial growth, ensuring that the fruit remains of high quality and has an extended shelf life. Source: Chavan, P., Lata, K., Kaur, T., Rezek Jambrak, A., Sharma, S., Roy, S., Sinhmar, A., Thory, R., Pal Singh, G., Aayush, K., & Rout, A. (2023). Recent advances in the preservation of postharvest fruits using edible films and coatings: A comprehensive review. Food Chemistry, 418, 135916. Author:?Jorge Luis?Alonso G. (with ChatGPT)?Maximizing Agribusiness Profits with Expert Postharvest Storage Strategies | Horticultural Writing Specialist.?This article was written exclusively for the business platform Postharvest. Image by?Samara State Technical University