Nowadays, new emerging technologies to preserve the quality of fresh fruit are implemented. Edible coatings are one of new aproaches to prolong the storability of fruits. Edible coatings are defined as a thin layer of edible material applied to the fruit surface serving as an additional substance or substitute for the natural wax coating. Primarily they are used as a barrier to reduce the exchange of oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapor. Edible coatings thus indirectly increase the content of carbon dioxide and reduce the content of oxygen within intercellular spaces thus slowing down the fruit's metabolism. The main advantage of edible coatings is that they can be consumed with food, can provide additional nutrients, improve sensory properties and have antimicrobial agents included that improve quality. In this sense, antimicrobial edible films and coatings can provide increased inhibitory effects against spoilage and pathogenic bacteria by maintaining effective concentrations of active compounds on fruit surfaces. There are several different types of edible coatings that vary considerably in chemical composition. Most often coatings consist of chitosan, cellulose, pectin, alginate and various combinations of them.
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