ABSTRACT
Fruits and vegetables are an integral part of a healthy diet. Edible coatings (EC) have been successful not only in reducing water loss and delaying senescence, but also in decreasing pathogen infection and increasing the shelf life of fruits. A new generation of EC are being designed to allow the incorporation of various value-adding additives like antioxidants, vitamins, nutraceuticals and natural antimicrobial agents by nanoencapsulation or layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly. The properties of any edible coating rely on the basic molecular structure of the monomers. Edible coatings can be made from a variety of polymers, the most commonly available are extracted from marine and agricultural plants and animals. Polysaccharides are the most favored biopolymers for making edible coatings. Fruit coatings have been used to retard moisture loss during storage. Wax-based emulsion coatings offer a better alternative than wax coatings as they have excellent moisture/gas barrier properties, but they do not add glaze to the surface.
