ABSTRACT

182A wide range of film-forming compounds are available today and facilitate the design and tailoring of edible films and coatings with optimized functional properties. The main targeted functional properties are mass transfer properties, that is, solubility, diffusivity, and permeability compatible with the targeted applications, for example, moisture or O2 barrier, controlled release of an active agent, O2 scavenging property, among others. The dimensioning of an edible film or coating relies thus essentially on the knowledge of its targeted mass transfer property. Despite recent huge efforts made in the development of integrated approach for building the specifications of edible film and coating, a realistic assessment of the film or coating efficacy is still critical. Mathematical modeling of mass transfer phenomena involved in the coated food is the base of a better realistic assessment of the performance of protective edible films. The aim of this chapter is to make a progress report on the measurement of mass transfer properties and on the modeling of mass transfer into the coating/food system. The last section illustrates how mathematical tools could be used to adequately dimension edible films or coatings.