Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, led by Professor V. Katihar, Department of Chemical Engineering and Centre for Excellence in Sustainable Polymers (COE-Sus-Pol), have developed an edible coating to increase the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables.
Highlighting the need for such research, IIT Guwahati said, – According to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, 4.6 to 15.9 per cent of fruits and vegetables go waste post-harvest, partly due to poor storage conditions. In fact, post-harvest losses in some products such as potatoes, onions and tomatoes can be as high as 19 percent, resulting in higher prices for this highly consumed commodity.
This coating material which will prevent wastage was tested on vegetables like potato, tomato, green chilli and strawberry, Khasi mandarin, apple, pineapple, and kiwifruit. And it was found to keep these vegetables fresh for about two months.
Speaking about the developed biodegradable coating, the Department of Chemical Engineering says – The newly developed coatings can be mass produced and are unique. They retain the texture, colour, appearance, taste, nutritional value and microbial protection of that fruit or vegetable, extending their shelf life from several weeks to months. They are very stable to light, heat, and temperatures up to 40 °C, are edible and can be safely consumed as part of product manufacturing and do not add adverse properties.
The researchers also tested the biosafety of these coatings by treating BHK-21 cells with these coating materials. Their tests showed that these coating materials were non-toxic and could be safely used as edible food packaging materials.
The IIT Guwahati team used a mixture of microalgae extracts and polysaccharides to produce protective, edible films for coating on vegetables and fruits.
The results of this research have been published in prestigious journals including the Royal Society of Chemistry Advances, Food Packaging and Shelf Life, Food Chemistry and the American Chemical Society’s Food Science and Technology.
Researchers at IIT Guwahati believe that their development can help the country meet Sustainable Development Goal target 12.3, which aims at food losses along the production and supply chain, including post-harvest losses, will reduce.
