The use of coatings in eggs: A systematic review

Eggs are a staple food in the human diet and are consumed globally. However, eggs are perishable products and decline in quality if not handled and stored correctly. The use of coatings is one of the technologies that has been developed to extend the shelf life of eggs. Results indicated positive effects of the coatings used in preserving the egg quality. The related studies on the use of egg coatings by databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Scielo on a global scale (between 1957 and 2020) were retrieved. In this regard, out of 740 explored articles in the identification stage, 52 studies were used in the systematic review. Several alternative coatings from different countries were recapped in this study. A brief outline of published scientific evidence demonstrates that the use of coatings on eggs stored at room temperature improves shelf-life. The overall rank order considering the type of coating was lipids (35%) > polysaccharides (33%) > proteins (25%) > combinations (7%). Among the countries researched, United States was ranked as the first in establishing investigations. The results of this study summarize the most frequent coating types used in eggs and provide a roadmap for future research regarding egg conservation. •A first-of-its-kind systematic review of eggs coatings is presented.•Eggs coatings were methodically analyzed for the first time.•Reviewed research originated from: Asia, North and South America, Africa, and Europa.•Most used coatings can be ranked as: lipids, polysaccharides, proteins, and mixes.•Coated eggs studied were superior in terms of quality and shelf life.