Bio-Functional Edible Coatings:

Advanced Strategies for Shelf Life Enhancement for Fresh and Processed Foods

- Pooja Nikhanj

Food loss and waste remain enduring issues worldwide, impacting every stage of the supply chain from harvesting to retail and consumption. A comprehensive global survey by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2023 indicated that between 35% and 55% of fruits and vegetables produced are lost during postharvest handling. Improving postharvest management by adopting innovative techniques, including advanced technologies and optimized logistics, can effectively address these global challenges. Such efforts are especially crucial when aligned with sustainability goals, such as those outlined in the European Commission's Farm to Fork strategy within the Green Deal framework and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Edible coatings are thin layers of specialized formulations applied to food products to extend their shelf life. These coatings are created by dissolving particular materials in organic or inorganic solvents and mainly consist of polysaccharides, lipids, proteins, or composites thereof. Edible coatings (ECs) have been widely utilized in fruit preservation due to their ability to form films that create a physical barrier around produce. This barrier alters gas and moisture exchanges, modifying the internal environment of the fruit, preventing dehydration, and thus slowing ripening and delaying physicochemical changes. Moreover, integrating natural antimicrobials, bioactive substances, and antioxidants into these coatings enhances their protective functions by reducing spoilage caused by microorganisms and maintaining food quality. Such enhanced coatings are referred to as bio-functional edible coatings.

Bio-functional edible coatings