Edible Coatings: A Sustainable Solution for Prolonging fruit and vegetables Shelf Life

Abstract

Fruits as well as vegetables are needed more and more due to growing population but have a limited shelf life. This is because ripening, sensitivity to microbial deterioration after harvest, and mechanical damage result in significant postharvest losses. Hence, about 25-30% of the harvested perishables are lost before it reaches the final consumer. As in the food supply chain, they must go through harvesting, packaging, storing, loading, unloading and transportation. Because of inadequate storage as well as infrastructure and transit facilities, the producer tries to sell the product before it perishes. For many years researchers have been struggling to establish various mechanisms or treatments for sustaining the postharvest management. Numerous technologies, including evaporative cooling and cold storage, fruit coating treatments, however scarcely any technology have been adopted in the Indian food supply chain. Among these, edible coatings offer a sustainable approach for extending the shelf life and preserving the quality of fruits and vegetables after harvest.