
New Edible,
Food-Grade Fruit Coating Has It CoveredBy Jesús
García April 12, 2001Edible coatings help preserve fruits
and vegetables during their often long trek from the farm to your local produce
stand. To help improve these coatings, Agricultural Research Service scientists
have applied for a patent for a new edible coating made of food-grade polyvinyl
acetate. It is cheaper to use and more effective than shellac at preventing
postharvest fruit decay without discoloring the fruit. The new coating developed by researchers at the
ARS Citrus and Subtropical Products
Laboratory in Winter Haven, Fla., preserves and protects harvested fruit,
without whitening, at a considerable savings. The coating can be applied to
fruits and vegetables by dipping, spraying or brushing on. Polyvinyl acetate is a synthetic polymer that is used as an ingredient in
chewing gum. In addition to the polyvinyl acetate, the coating for fresh
produce can include plasticizers, surfactants that aid coverage,
gloss-enhancing additives, and other ingredients for specific uses, such as to
coat candy and baked goods. The new coating has several advantages over shellac, which slows fruit
respiration and keeps the fruit firm. Shellac tends to whiten or
blush when it is exposed to moisture. This often occurs when apples
are moved from cold storage to a humid environment. Another problem is that
citrus fruits and some apple varieties develop off flavors when
coated with shellac. And the fact that shellac coatings are primarily composed
of insect exudate has made them objectionable to some consumers. ARS is the U.S. Department of
Agricultures chief scientific research agency. Scientific contact: Robert D. Hagenmaier, ARS
Citrus and Subtropical Products Laboratory, Winter Haven, Fla., phone (941)
293-4133, fax (941) 299-8678, [email protected]. U.S. Department of Agriculture |