Dress your strawberries in edible coats to keep them looking good for longer

Edible coatings on strawberries can reduce the risk of bruising and simultaneously increase their shelf life, according to a recent study.

A team of researchers from Mexico discovered that edible active coatings (EACs) incorporated with sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate reduced fruit softening, reduced microbial growth, preserved the colour, flavour and texture of strawberries and increased the shelf life of strawberries from six to 15 days. 

The EACs studied were based on pectin, pullulan and chitosan. Pectin is present in the cell walls of many fruits and vegetables; chitosan is a major component of crustacean shells and exhibits antifungal properties; and pullulan provides extracellular support.

The abstract of the article about how applying edible coatings to strawberries, one of the most economically important fruits worldwide, may improve their quality and shelf life can be found in the August issue of the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists.