Chitosan Mono- and Bilayer Edible Coatings for Preserving Postharvest Quality of Fresh Fruit

Abstract

Edible coatings have been widely used to improve the storability and quality of fruit during postharvest life. Chitosan (Cs)-based coatings are considered the best and safest edible and biological coatings for different types of fruits, due to their lack of toxicity, biodegradability, film-forming properties and antimicrobial action. Mono- and bilayer Cs coatings affect postharvest fruit quality and influence the level of oxidative stress in fresh fruits by controlling their physiological, biochemical and structural changes involved in degenerative processes correlated with fruit ripening and senescence. This chapter discusses the use of different mono- and multilayer Cs-based coatings to improve qualitative traits and control the postharvest oxidative stress on several fruits.