The potential of pectin-based films enriched with bioactive components for strawberry preservation: A sustainable and innovative coating

•Pectin coatings enriched with WLE improved strawberry shelf-life.•WLE significantly reduced strawberry weight loss during storage.•Pectin-based coatings effectively preserved strawberries' bioactive compounds. Fruits that are characterized by their fragile architecture are less durable and are a major source of waste. Thus, research on increasing the durability of such foods remains relevant. Pectin is an inexpensive and edible coating material derived from natural resources that can be used to preserve strawberries. The aim of the current research was to fortify pectin with grape pomace extract (GPE) and wine lees extract (WLE) that are rich in bioactive components. Physicochemical, microbiological and functional properties of coated and uncoated strawberries were investigated during the storage period (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20th day). GPE and WLE-supported pectin coatings helped preserve the antioxidant capacity, phenolic, anthocyanin and ascorbic acid contents of strawberries. Coated samples WLE-enriched exhibited significantly less weight loss compared to other samples. WLE coating was effective in inhibiting yeast mould populations on strawberries. WLE-enriched coatings acted as a wall material to preserve bioactive components and delayed quality changes compared to GPE, allowing them to reach a storage period of 20 days at 4 °C. [Display omitted]