Edible Coatings: Innovation to Improve the Shelf Life of Guava

Abstract

Fruit and vegetables are rich source of vitamins and minerals and due to their perishable nature, they have a very short shelf life thus making it difficult to store them for longer period. Approximately 30-40% of horticultural products are in lost due to the improper handling during transits, insect, pest attack and miss handling during the preservation of fruits and vegetables. Edible coating is the one of the most appropriate ways to solve this issue and improve the shelf life of the horticulture produce. The protective layer coated over the fruit and vegetables act as barrier for O2 and CO2 and water vapor which may result in the aging of produce. Hence,the different types of edible coating also help to improve the luster thereby making it more attractive to consumers and getting higher price in the market by reducing the post-harvest loss to a great extent. This review paper is an attempt to signify the use and importance of different edible types of edible coating to improve the shelf life of guava.