Researchers from Chungnam National University in South Korea have developed an edible, recyclable coating for fruits, Food Safety Magazine reported. The biofilm coating reportedly has several benefits, including reducing the need for refrigeration or synthetic preservation and extending the shelf lives of various fruits.
The coating is made of chitosan, a compound derived from crustacean shells, and gallic acid, which is abundant in plants and known for its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
The researchers published their findings in a study in the journal Food Chemistry.
In the study, the coating showed "enhanced mechanical strength, offering protection against food damage during transportation, and improved antioxidant properties, leading to extended shelf life," Food Safety Magazine summarized.
Having more environmentally friendly ways to package and store food could make a big difference for our planet, as the food industry creates a huge amount of pollution and waste while shipping and storing produce. In addition to producing over one-tenth of the world's planet-overheating air pollution, the food industry is responsible for 40 million tons of plastic waste annually in the United States alone.
These statistics and others like them have encouraged many people to try to eat locally by growing their own food or by relying mainly on ingredients that are grown or produced nearby, cutting down significantly on the environmental costs of transportation and storage.
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However, since we will be able to buy things such as avocados and bananas — commonly grown abroad and shipped to the United States — at our local grocery stores for the foreseeable future, it makes sense to do so in ways that cause minimal damage to our planet. The new coating from the Chungnam National University researchers could be an important step in that direction.
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