Edible Coatings in Fruit Preservation - 9 February 2021

Webinar Presenter: Dr. Olaniyi Fawole

Once harvested, fruits and vegetables continue to live on their energy reserve, resulting in a loss of quality and short shelf life. Consequently, the risk of deterioration of produce during transport to distant markets is very high. Extending the shelf life of produce even by a few days has enormous economic potential for the South African export industry. Thus, the search for novel strategies and technologies that can help maintain quality remains a top priority to stakeholders in the industry. Edible coatings present themselves as a novel, green postharvest solution that has the potential to maintain quality and extend shelf life. The presentation focused on the ability of coatings to reduce shrivelling and prolong the storage life of plums.