AET - 680

TOPIC Surface Treatment and Edible Coating in Food Preservation.

SUBMITTED TO : SUBMITTED BY :
Er. H. Imtiyaz Varsha Mishra
16BTFT056
 CONTENT

 Introduction
 Edible coating and its Uses
 Components of edible coating
 Surface treatment
 Methods of surface treatment
 Advantages
 Disadvantages.
 Reference
 EDIBLE COATING

 Any type of material used for enrobing(i.e., coating and wrapping) various food
to extend the shelf life of the product that may be eaten together with food or
without further removal is known as edible coating.
 Edible coatings serve many purposes in food systems.
1. Coatings are used to improve appearance, texture and reduce water loss.
Examples : "waxing" of apples and oranges to add gloss and reduce shrinkage due
to water loss or the coating of candies to reduce stickiness.
2. Use of antioxidants and sulfites to preserve fresh appearance in minimally processed
fruits and vegetables or processed foods.
3. Antioxidants are used to reduce browning of cut apple and pear ,potato , mushrooms
, and shellfish , and to preserve the colour of fish.
4. Fungicides are used to reduce decay of whole fruits and salts, such as calcium, are
reported to delay ripening, increase firmness, improve appearance, and enhance
disease resistance of fruits
5. Preservatives, acidulants, and to some extent antioxidants and sulfites reduce
surface microbial populations on fresh-cut produce and processed foods.
 History

 Edible coatings have been used for centuries

to protect foods and prevent moisture loss.
 The first recorded use was in china in the 12
century on citrus
 Later in England using lard or fats, called
larding to prolong shelf life of meat products.
 Since the early to mid 20th century, coatings
have been used to prevent water loss and add
shine to fruits and vegetables, as casings using
collagen or collagen-like material for
sausages, and as some sort of sugary coatings
on confectionaries, including chocolate.
 Use of Edible Films and Coatings

 1. Reduce water loss

 2. Reduce gas diffusion
 3. Reduce movement of oils and fats
 4. Reduce movement of solutes
 5. Reduce loss of volatile flavors & aromas
 6. Improve structural properties (hold it together)
 7. Incorporate pigments, flavoring, & food additives
 8. Improve appearance (e.g., gloss)
 9. Inhibit transfer of moisture and oxygen
 10. Reduced mold growth
 11. Reducing frying fat uptake
 12. Reduce adhesion to cooking surface.
COMPONENTS OF EDIBLE COATINGS

 Polymers are the main ingredients of many edible coatings. Many edible polymers
are nontoxic, simple derivatives of cellulose, one of the most abundant natural
polymers in nature, being a component of plant structure.
 The coatings made from polymeric edible films are generally designed to be
flexible and tough.

POLYSACCHARIDES PROTEIN
EDIBLE
COATING
LIPIDS RESINS
POLYSACCHARIDE BASED COATINGS AND FILMS

 POLYSACCHARIDES are coatings that are hydrophilic and intermediate

among coatings materials in gas exchange properties but are poor barriers to
moisture.
 These films are excellent oxygen, aroma, and oil barriers and provide strength
and structural integrity
 These coatings may retard ripening and increase shelf life of coated produce
without creating severe anaerobic conditions.
 Some of the polysaccharides that have been used in coating formulations are:
 starch and pectin
 cellulose chitosan
 Alginate
 Chitosan
 Chitin/chitos
PROTEIN BASED COATINGS AND FILMS
 CONT…
 Like polysaccharide based films, the
protein films are also excellent
oxygen, aroma, and oil barriers.
 They provide strength and structural
integrity: but are not effective
moisture barriers.
 Their oxygen barrier properties are
due to their tightly packed, ordered
hydrogen bonded network structure,
low solubility
 the presence of several side residues
of amino acids (cysteine,
inparticular) which can inhibit
polyphenol oxidase.
 Research has shown that the
presence of fatty acids in whey
protein also significantly improves
moisture barrier properties
 Proteins make good film formers
and are produced from renewable
resources and degrade more readily
than other types of polymeric
material.
 Use of milk protein based coatings
could control enzymatic browning
of cut FV.
LIPID BASED COATINGS AND FILMS

 Lipids include a group of hydrophobic compounds, which are neutral esters of

glycerol and fatty acids.
 Lipid components are incorporated in composite coatings made up of at least two
materials because they lack structural integrity and durability in their free form to
be good film formers.
 Some of the lipids that have been used effectively in coating formulations are:
 beeswax,
 mineral oil,
 vegetable oil surfactants.
 carnauba wax and paraffin wax.
 CONT...

 Oils :
 Paraffin oil, mineral oil, castor oil, rapeseed oil, acetylated monoglycerides, and
vegetable oils (peanut, com, and soy) have been used alone or in combination with other
ingredients to coat food products.
 paraffin oil had the greatest resistance to water followed by vegetable oil and light
mineral oil.
• Waxes:
 Paraffin, carnauba(palm tree leaves), beeswax( honey bees), candelilla, and polyethylene
waxes have been used to coat food products.
 These natural waxes are considered GRAS and are used in chewing gum, hard candy,
and edible coatings.
• Emulsions :
 Emulsion coatings are oils or waxes dispersed in water or some other hydrophilic
solution.
 Carnauba wax and beeswax form stable micro emulsions with the appropriate
emulsifiers, forming a glossy coating, while macro emulsions generally impart little
shine to the coated product
 RESIN BASED COATINGS AND FILMS

 Resins are a group of acidic substances that are produced and secreted as a wound
response by specialized plant cells of trees and shrubs.
 A list of resins commonly used in coatings, along with their status:
Resins Classification
Wood rosin Coatings on fresh citrus fruit
Terpene Moisture barrier on soft gelatin capsules or
powders of ascorbic acid
Copal Resinous and polymeric coatings
Elemi Resinous and polymeric coatings
 ROLE OF EDIBLE FILMS AND COATINGS

 Antimicrobial agents:
 incorporating antimicrobial compounds into edible films or coatings provides a
novel way to improve the food safety and shelf life of ready-to-cat foods.
 Common antimicrobial agents used in food benzoate, sorbic acid, pottassium

sorbate, and propionic acid, may be incorporated into edible films and coatings.
Example:
 Starch based coating containing potassium sorbate were applied on the surface of
fresh strawberries for reducing microbial growth and extending Storage life
 Chitosan coating containing potassium
sorbate were shown to increase antifungal
activity against the growth of Cladosporium
and Rhizopus on fresh strawberries.
 2. Antioxidants and
antibrowning agents:
 Antioxidants can be added into
coating matrix to protect against
oxidative rancidity, degradation
and discoloration of certain
foods.
 E.g. : nuts were coated with
pectinate, peclate, and zein
coatings containing BHA, BHT,
and citric acid to prevent
rancidity and maintain their
texture.
 Ascorbic acid was incorporated
into edible coatings to reduce
enzymatic browning in sliced
apples and potatoes.
 3.Nutrients, flavors and
colorants:
 Edible films and coatings are
excellent vehicles to enhance
the nutritional value of fruits
and vegetables by delivering
basic nutrients and
nutraceuticals that are lacking
or are present on only low
quantity.
 Xanthan gum coating was
utilized to carry a high
concentration of calcium and
vitamin E. for not only
preventing moisture loss and
surface whitening, but also to
significantly increase the
calcium and vitamin E contents
of the carrots.
THICKNESS OF FILMS OR COATINGS

 Studies coatings give generally better results than single dipping, but lead to some
physiological disadvantages.
 Increase in thickness of the coating or the film not only cause detrimental effects
by reducing internal oxygen and increasing carbon dioxide concentration leading
to anaerobic fermentation, but also affect the original taste and flavour of the
product.
 For example, treatment with 10% Pro-long caused anaerobiosis and significant loss
of sensory quality in mangoes.
 An optimum amount of coating should provide sufficient gloss and minimise
weight loss without producing off flavours.
 SURFACE TREATMENT / METHOD OF COATING
APPLICATION

 Several coating application methods including:

1. Dipping
2. Dripping
3. Foaming
4. Fluidized-bed coating
5. Panning
6. Spraying
7. Electrostatic coating

 The selection of an appropriate method depends on the characteristics of the food,

the coating materials, the intended effect of the coating, and the cost.
1. DIPPING :

 Edible coatings can be applied by dipping products in coating solutions and

then allowing excess coating to drain as it dries and solidifies.
 Dipping has been commonly used for coating fruits, vegetables, and meat
products.
 The first reported dipping application was by the Florida citrus industry, where
the fruits were submerged into a tank of emulsion coating. Fruit was then
generally conveyed to a drier under ambient condition
2. DRIPPING:

 This coating application method is the most economic, in addition, it has the
ability to deliver the sorting either directly to the commodity surface or to the
brushes.
 However, due to relatively large droplet in good uniform coverage only be
achieved when the commodity has adequate tumbling action over the several
brushes that are saturated with the coatings
 Dripping has been commonly used for coating fruits and vegetables
3. FOAMING:

 Foam application is used for some emulsion coatings.

 A foaming agent is added to the coating or compressed air is blown into the
applicator tank.
 Extensive tumbling action is necessary to break the foam for uniform
distribution. The agitated foam is applied to commodities moving by on rollers
and cloth flaps or brushes to distribute the emulsion over the surface of the
commodity.
 This type of emulsion contains little water and therefore dries quickly, but
inadequate coverage is often a problem.
 4. FLUIDIZED-BED COATING:

 It is a technique that can be used to apply a very thin layer onto dry particles of
very low density or small size. It was originally developed as a pharmaceutical
coating techniques but is now increasingly being applied in the food industry.
 It may be applied to enhance the effect of functional ingredients and additives
such as processing aids, preservatives ,flavours and other additives for ease of
handling, improved aesthetics, taste and colour.
 Bakery products are commonly coated using fluidized bed techniques.
5. PANNING:

 Panning is usually employed for coating candies nuts, and some processed
fruits that are characterized by a smooth, regular surface obtained by polishing
action in the pan.
 The technology involves a stainless steel pan that is enclosed and perforated
along the side panels.
 The coating is delivered by a pump to spray guns mounted in various parts of
the pan .
 Panning is a slow process, in which the pan speeds vary based on the size of
the centre.
 For ex- large size nuts require speeds of 15rpm.
6. SPRAYING:

 When a thin and uniform coating is required for certain surfaces spraying is
useful. This the most popular method for coating whole fruits and vegetables,
especially with the development of high-pressure spray applicators and air-
atomizing systems.
 Spray applications are also suitable when applying films to a particular side or
when a dual application must be used for cross-linking, as is practiced with
alginate coating.
 7. ELECTROSTATIC COATING:

 Its a process that employs charged particles to improve efficiently coat a surface.
 Powdered particle or atomized liquid is initially projected towards a conductive
surface using formal spraying methods and then accelerated the surface by a
powerful electrostatic charge.
 The exact performance of liquid electrostatic coating systems for food
application is not well known. These coating shown great promise in some
applications. including the impregnation of bread with edible vegetable oil and
coating of confectionery and chocolate products
 The success of an edible coating for meeting the specific needs of foodstrongly
depends on :
 Its barrier property to gases, especially oxygen and water vapour
 Its adhesion to the surface
 Uniformity of coverage of coating and also
 Sensory quality of the coated food products.
ADVANTAGES OF EDIBLE COATINGS AND FILMS

 Improved retention of colour, acids, sugars, and flavour components

 Reduced weight loss
 Maintenance of quality during shipping and storage
 Reduction of storage disorders
 Improved consumer appeal
 Extended shelf life
 Addition of the value of the natural material
 Reduction of synthetic packaging
DISADVANTAGES OF EDIBLE COATINGS AND FILMS

 While coatings have very desirable effects in reducing colour and decay, there are
some disadvantages.
 These disadvantages could be overcome by suitable selection of the type and
thickness of the coating and by avoiding treatment of immature, flavourless fruit
and storage of coated fruits at high temperature.
 However, since consumers are concerned with additives, includingwax,
acceptability of edible coatings must be recognized.
 Thick coatings restrict the respiratory gas exchange, causing the product to
accumulate high levels of ethanol and to develop off- flavours.
CONT…

 Poor water vapour barrier properties of the coatings could result in weight or
moisture loss of the product, but it could prevent water vapour condensation,
which could be a potential source of microbial spoilage for fruit and vegetable
packaging.
 Films that have good gas barrier properties could cause anaerobic respiration and
interferes with normal ripening.
 The film should allow a certain amount of oxygen permeation through the coating
or film in order to avoid anaerobic conditions.
REFERENCE

Hemaprabha sivakumar (2018) Edible coating for fruits.

 Elizabeth A. Baldwin. Surface Treatments and Edible Coatings in Food
Preservation
 Food science by N.N.Potter.
 Slidershare
Thank you