Optimizing Postharvest Edible Coatings for Fruit and Vegetables with Plant-Based Polysaccharides

Authors:
Open Access
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Polysaccharide-based edible coatings are increasingly explored as sustainable strategies for maintaining quality of fresh produce, acting as barriers to gas exchange while improving mechanical and optical properties. However, their effectiveness depends not only on the intrinsic features but also on the structural and physiological diversity of fruits and vegetables, which vary in peel composition, hydrophobicity, and texture. This study investigated plant-derived polysaccharide films (cassava starch, potato starch, corn starch, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, and pectin) characterized for moisture resistance, solubility, permeability, thermal stability, hydrophilicity, opacity, gloss, and mechanical strength. Concurrently, different fruits and vegetables (fruit, root, and tubers) were analyzed for their surface hydrophilicity to establish correlations between film properties and peel characteristics. The findings emphasize that no single polymer can be universally applied. In addition, the choice of matrix must be guided by both film functionality and produce surface traits. Starch-based films presented high hydrophilicity, suggesting better wettability, while pectin and cellulose derivatives presented distinct advantages for less hydrophilic peels. This work highlights the importance of tailoring edible coatings according to the physicochemical compatibility between films and fresh produce surfaces, providing insights for improving post-harvest preservation strategies and guiding the development of effective, sustainable coatings for diverse horticultural commodities.
Funding Information
  • Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (2022/10686-6, 2023/14371-2, 2023/17653-9)
  • Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (406925/2022-4)
  • Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária—Embrapa
  • Rede Agronano
  • Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (406925/2022-4)
  • Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (001)

This publication has 67 references indexed in Scilit: