Abstract
Food preservation technologies are currently facing important challenges at extending the shelf-life of perishable food products (e.g., meat, fish, milk, eggs, and many raw fruits and vegetables) that help to meet the daily nutrient requirement demand. In addition, food preservation has gone beyond only preservation; the current techniques are focused on the fulfillment of two additional objectives, the suitability of the used processes and generation of environmentally friendly products with non-presence of any side effect on health. Moreover, they are also looking for additional nutritional properties. One of these preservation protocols deals with the use of edible films and coatings. Therefore, this review shows an overview of synthetic materials (e.g., glass, aluminum, plastic, and paperboard), as well as the regulations that limit their application in food packaging. Further, this review releases the current-state-of-the-art of the use of films and edible coatings as an alternative to conventional packaging, providing the main features that these biodegradable packaging should meet towards specific uses for the conservation and improvement of various food products. Herein, particular attention has been paid to the main used components (e.g., biopolymers, additives, bioactive, and probiotic components), manufacturing methods (for edible films or coatings) and their application to specific products. In addition, an outlook of the application of edible films and coatings as quality indicators of perishable products is shown.
Highlights
Received: 17 November 2020 Accepted: 9 December 2020 Published: 26 January 2021Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.The packaging is likely the most important method for food preservation due to protects, preserves and provides the needed information about the product, while allows the product commercialization and distribution [1,2]
Thereby, the following sections of this review provide a critical overview in applying edible films and coatings for food preservation, addressing the following aspects: main components and their properties, feasible protocols and techniques for coating fabrication, and applications and the most recent advances in the field
The first study evaluated several edible films to serve as a support for Candida sake and later coat grapes to protect against Botrytis cinerea [115]; all biopolymers were adequate to inhibit the pathogen and maintain the survival of Candida sake, the authors recommended the use of sodium caseinate and corn starch since they represent the lowest cost
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. According to the most recent data (in 2018) provided by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) of Mexico, production of about 102,895 USW ton per day is generated, which corresponds to paper, cardboard, glass, and some metals (aluminum). Foods 2021, 10, 249 used as packaging due to the fact that it comes from a biodegradable matter; being in contact with food loses its physical appearance and prevents its protection This is one of the main reasons to combine it with other materials, such as plastic and aluminum. Their selection depends on the type of food or product to be protected. While products of fast consumption due to their short life, such as milk, bread and cookies, are usually packed in plasticized cardboard, being sufficient for protection in short times [2]
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