Edible coatings for enhancing safety and quality attributes of fresh produce: A comprehensive review

Fresh produce is recognized as highly beneficial for human health. The substantial changes in the life-style of populations and upturn awareness about nutritional aspects of dietary patterns, fresh produce has high demand. In developing countries, postharvest losses can reach up to 50%, and improper storage can cause serious food safety and quality-related issues. To fulfill the ever increasing demand of fresh produce, more attention should be given to reduce postharvest losses in addition to increase the production. Postharvest operations are one of the promising approaches for regulating food safety and security. Recently, various technologies have emerged to preserve the fresh produce and to extend their shelf life. However, consumers demand chemical free fresh product with excellent quality and nutritional profile. In this context, edible coating of fresh produce seems to be an effective approach to mitigate produce safety and quality issues. This review explores numerous types of edible coatings with their impact on quality attributes of fresh produce, as well as the benefits and main functions of each type of coating. This valuable information could help the processors in selecting the appropriate coating material for various fresh and minimally processed foods.