Author Hadar Arnon-Ripsba Elena Poverenova
Layer by Layer (LbL) approach is based on the alternate deposition of different biopolymers and allows for more effective control over the physicochemical properties and activity of edible coatings, environmental, physiological, and microbiological damages, including heat, oxidation, humidity, enzymatic activity, as well as fungi, yeast, and bacterial attacks. All of the above result in significant food losses and waste throughout the postharvest supply chain, quality and shelf life enhancement, edible coatings may protect food products from mechanical and microbial damages, prevent the escape of favorable volatiles, inhibit food senescence processes and provide an esthetic appearance, coatings are based on biodegradable and biocompatible materials, fruit and vegetables continue their respiration process even after their harvest; edible coatings therefore need to have precise balanced gas permeability properties for a normal CO2/O2 exchange, fresh commodities are very sensitive to water loss, which cause size shrinkage and texture impairment, coatings need to have limited water vapor permeability to inhibit moisture escape, fresh-cut fruit and vegetables usually have exceptionally hydrophilic surfaces that are also difficult to adhere to, to be applicable, edible coatings must combine a number of traits such as sufficient antimicrobial activity, protection from environmental damages, precisely balanced gases and water vapor permeability and exceptionally good adhesion, The LbL method can also be employed in the field of edible coatings with its ability to apply various biopolymers in a controlled manner in order to fine-tune the coatings properties, LbL technique has been widely explored and lead to various applications in electrical, optical, biomedical and membrane devices, such as microcapsules, solar cells, biosensors, drug delivery systems and separations membranes, is also used to prepare edible films and coatings. These coatings are currently mostly applied on fresh, Aloe
