Incorporating essential oils or compounds derived thereof into edible coatings: Effect on quality and shelf life of fresh/fresh-cut produce

Fruits and vegetables constitute an integral part of diet for humans. Quality, safety and extended shelf life are important aspects governing the availability and acceptability of both fresh and fresh-cut agricultural produce. Among various approaches to ensure the uninterrupted and safe supply of fresh/fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, edible coatings have been widely investigated to retain quality and enhance shelf-life. Continuous efforts are being made for enhancing the effectiveness of edible coatings. One of the widely employed methods is to incorporate essential oils or the compounds derived from them into edible coatings to enhance their protective nature which consequently helps to better maintain quality of fruits and vegetables and extend their shelf life. Essential oil incorporation into edible coatings may deliver both positive and negative impacts on different quality attributes of fruits and vegetables. Therefore, this review paper is a critical analysis to recapitulate the effects of using essential oil incorporated-edible coatings on fresh/fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. Among many advantageous effects, essential oils present in edible coatings are effective in reducing microbial load on fresh/fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, and act as strong antioxidants. Despite their positive effects, use of essential oils in edible coatings for fresh/fresh-cut fruits and vegetables is challenging because of the high reactivity, volatility, intense aroma and more importantly the safety concerns associated with them. Nevertheless, the literature suggests the rise in publications investigating use of essential oils in edible coatings for fresh/fresh-cut fruits and vegetables.