Edible coating: définition

Primary purpose of food coating is to provide

a barrier to microorganisms, to moisture, to
gas and to solute migration in food.

Edible coating is normally applied on food

surface and where a thin layer edible film is
formed directly on food surfaces or between
different layers.
 Edible coating Applications
Edible coatings can
Extend the shelf life of the food by the inhibition of the microbial growth
and by the improvement of the quality of food system

• Preservation of bioactive nutrients

• Inhibition of oxidation (inhibition of gaz transfert)

• Preservation of physico-chemical (ex: texture, color) and organoleptic

properties of food

• Protection of probiotic bacteria viability

 Biobased packaging

Packaging containing raw materials

originating from agricultural sources
produced from renewable, biological raw
materials such as starch, cellulose and
bio-derived monomers
 Driving in coating and
packaging innovation

Increasing consumer demand for ready to eat foods

Environmental issue: recycling, biodegradability

Request for fewer or no additive and preservation

Change in retail and distribution practices associated

with globalization

Stricter requirements regarding consumer health and

safety
 Post-process contamination

66% of the post-process contamination is

caused by

Product mishandling
Faulty packaging
 PROBLEMATIC ISSUES
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates
that 48 million people get sick due to foodborne diseases in
USA annually.
In Canada, the foodborne illness is estimated as more than 11
million episodes/year
→ Therefore, controlling of food pathogens in food
products are very important.

Listeria Salmonella E.coli Campylobacter

 Post-processing protection by
Active packaging
Active coating

Has been proposed as an

Innovative approach

that can be also applied to ready-to-eat

products to minimize or prevent the growth of
pathogenic microorganisms
 Active edible coating and packaging

refers to the incorporation of additives or

extracts from natural sources into
packaging or coating systems to
increase the shelf life of foods and then
to provide a high-quality products
(fresh/safe).
Active Coating and Packaging
Active coating and packaging allow
interaction with food products and the
environment and play a dynamic role
in food protection
 Active packaging
Delay oxidation
Delay microbial growth
Assure innocuity of foods
Control the respiration
Delay moisture migration
Absorb CO2
Remove ethylene and aroma emitters
Absorb drip

Better protection of the food quality and reduce the

waste level
Example of edible coating:barrier properties
• Rancidity
• Chocolate  firm
• Fat bloom

Rejection by the
consumer
Return the product to
the producer
edible coating: transport limitation of unsaturated fatty acids

Chocolate almond

Oil
 Results
Diffusion of oil based on the addition of
various polymers
 Milk proteins have high nutritional value

They are available in large amounts world-wide

They have been extensively investigated as edible coatings

and films
 Edible coating: antioxydant properties
Application against the browning of fresh fruits and vegetables

  enzymatic browning
 Stabilizing the whiteness of the product
90

80

70
L*

60
Control
50

40
0 0,5 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4 4,5 5
temps (heures)

Coated contrôle caséinate lactosérum L+C

 Edible coating:antimicrobial properties
Application against the growth of molds on strawberries
 Protective barrier against moisture
 shelf life of strawberries
100

80

Contamination (%)
60

40

20 Control
Base
Base+PLS
0
0 10 20 30 40
Storage time (days)
 Chitosan
OH OH OH
OH
O O O
O O O O
O
HO HO HO HO
NH2 NH2 NH
NH2 O
CH3

Natural polysaccharides, the second most abundant

after cellulose

Poor mechanical properties, lack of water resistance

High water permeability

High gases barriers

It has a broad antimicrobial spectrum
Effective carriers of many active compounds
Chemical modification of chitosan
N-acylation of chitosan

Functionalization of chitosan with fatty acid derivatives

allowed 
hydrophobicity and emulsifiying properties
Stabilization of active compounds in chitosan
(encapsulation matrix)

According to Han et al. (2008)

 b) PLA-NCC-nisin
3450-3150 film

Modified chitosan-based coating on strawberries

In situ antimicrobial activity

 RT, PM EOs and LIM were

the most efficient
preservative agents in
strawberries during
storage.

 Efficient method to
preserve the quality of
strawberries up to 12 days

Evolution of the decay level (%) in antimicrobial coated strawberries during storage.
 b) PLA-NCC-nisin
3450-3150 film

Modified chitosan-based coating on strawberries

In situ antimicrobial activity

Appearance of strawberries coated with modified chitosan-based formulation

containing limonene and emulsifiers.
Encapsulation for the preservation of Nutrients and
functional products using modified chitosan
 Retention of -caroten (%)
during storage at 45 ºC and 100% RH
after encapsulation with modified chitosan

100%

80%

60%

40%

Formulation 4
20% Formulation 3
Formulation 2
0% Formulation 1
0 1 Non encapsulé
2 3 4 5 6
Temps (mois)
LAB
• Protection during gastro 10 9
intestinal passage
 encapsulation in polymer pH 1.5 -2.5
Based on modified chitosan,
Modified alginate

 10 6-10 7
Bacteria

polymer
 Viability of L. rhamnosus RW-9595M

***

* *
**

* *

(FC: Free BAL; NA: native alg.; SA: modified alg. ;

SC: modified chitosan; PA modified alg.).
The use of edible coating in combined
treatment

to increase the antimicrobial property

Coating application of modified chitosan-based
coating on ready to eat vegetables
 0 0
Control (air)
Coating (air) Control (air)
-1 MAP MAP
-1
MAP+Coating Coating (air)
MAP+ Coating

-2 -2
Log N/N 0

Log N/N0
-3 -3

-4 0.083 -4
0.383
0.295
0.061 0.110
-5 -5
0.102 0.202
0.332

-6 -6
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5

Irradiation doses (KGy) Irradiation doses (KGy)

Radiosensitization of E. coli on green Radiosensitization of S. Typhimurium

bean samples as affected by coating on green bean samples as affected by
formulation under various atmospheres coating formulation under various
atmospheres
D10 values of selected pathogens and total microflora
in broccoli florets coated with active coating
Bacteria Control OA/LAB OA/FE OA/FE/SM OA/SE
metabolites
L. 0.4 0.29 0.3 0.27 0.3
monocytogenes
E. coli 0.38 0.2* 0.16* 0.24 0.23

S. Typhimurium 0.50 0.2* 0.29* 0.28* 0.25*

Aerobic flora 0.57 0.36* 0.32* 0.38 0.33

OA: organic acid mixture; LAB: mixture of LAB ferment; FE: fruit extracts;
SM: spice mixture; SE: spice extract

Irradiation treatment from 0 to 3.3 kGy

 Effect of bioactive coating containing carvacrol in combination with modified
atmosphere packaging and gamma irradiation (0.25 kGy)
on population of E. coli on green beans samples during storage at 4 °C
  Day 1 Day 3 Day 5 Day 7 Day 9 Day 11 Day 13

Control 2.98Aa 3.03Aa 3.10ABa 3.14ABa 3.18Ba 3.41Ca 3.95Da

MAP 3.02Aa 3.19Aa 3.05ABa 3.01ABa 2.80Bb 2.98ABb 3.01ABb

Coating (air) 2.45ABb 2.15Ab 2.57Bb 1.40Cb 1.25Cc ND ND

Coating+MAP 2.64Ab 2.59ABc 2.30Bb 1.66Cb 1.19Dc ND ND

γ (air) 1.71Ac 1.26Bd 1.18Bc ND ND ND ND

γ +MAP 1.62Acd 1.45Be 1.19Cc ND ND ND ND

γ+coating (air) 1.30Ad 1.35Ade 1.25Ac ND ND ND ND

γ+coating+MAP ND ND ND ND ND ND ND

Values are means ± standard deviations. Means with different lowercase letters within the same column
are significantly different (P ≤ 0.05), while means with different uppercase letters within each treatment lot
are significantly different (P ≤ 0.05); MAP: (60% O2, 30% CO2, and 10% N2).
 Bacterial population on refrigerated pizzas as
affected by gamma irradiation and edible coating based
on milk proteins

C,3 days 2 kGy, 14D 1-2 kGy > 21 D

8 8
7
1 kGy,12D 7 C,17D
6 6
Log CFU/g

log CFU/g
5 5
4 4

3 3
0 kGy 0 kGy
2 2
1 kGy 1 kGy
1 1
2 kGy 2 kGy
0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25

Storage time (d) Storage time (d)

Irradiation alone Irradiation + edible coating

The highly hydrophilic nature of protein coatings
can limits their functional utilization

Therefore, formations of cross- linked proteins can

produce a strong, flexible film or coating.
Formation of bityrosine in calcium caseinate films
as a function of irradiation dose
4000000
Fluorescence intensity

3500000
3000000
2500000 Base
PEG
(a.u)

2000000
1500000 Sor
1000000 Man
500000
0
0 8 16 32 64 92 128
Dose (kGy)
 Fraction of insoluble matter in function of the irradiation dose
Results are expressed as the percentage in solid yield after soaking the
films 24 hours in water

80
70
Weight yield (%)

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
4 8 16 32 64 96 128
Dose (kGy)
 Effect of crosslinked films based on milk proteins
containing essential oils on
E.coli 0157:H7 growth on beef
4,0
3,8
Beef without film
3,6
Log UFC/CM2

3,4 film with pepper

3,2
pepper +
3,0 origano extract
2,8
2,6
2,4 Origano extract

2,2
2,0
0 2 4 6 8
Temps (jour)
ADFs: New generation of antimicrobial device

CNC filling Trilayer film Encapsulation of

in MC matrix + PCL/MC/PCL + natural antimicrobials

Synthesis of Antimicrobial Diffusion Films (ADFs)

(to get advantage from complementary functional properties of

each component and process)

Characterization and application

Preparation of trilayer ADFs as diffusion devices

Principle scheme of compression molding process to prepare composite

trilayer ADFs (MC film content = 30% w/w, dry basis).
ADFs on fresh broccoli
Percentage of total phenolics (TP) release from ADFs during storage
1600 1265

 FTIR analysis of volatiles diffusivity  Day 0

of antimicrobials encapsulated in  Day 2

 Day 6
ADFs (from day 0 to day 14).  Day 13

1515

 Continue diffusion (controlled

release) of volatiles can be
monitored by quantification of FTIR
bands:
• Aromatic stretching (1600 and 1515
cm-1)
• Ester antisym stretching (1265 cm-1)

FTIR spectra of bioactive ADF internal layer in fingerprint area (1200-1800 cm -1)
for the estimation of TP release (diffusion of volatiles).
ADFs on fresh broccoli
Percentage of total phenolics (TP) release from ADFs during storage

 Slow diffusion of antimicrobial

volatiles towards headspace
environment

 Slight  of diffusion to 14-17%

 Good correlation obtained between

the 2 methods (FTIR at 1600 cm-1 vs
Folin-Ciocalteu)

TP release (%) from bioactive ADFs during storage, deduced from TP availability
in films by Folin-Ciocalteu‘s method.
 ADFs on fresh broccoli

Microbiolgical analysis

 Total inhibition of E. coli at

day 12

 Stronger effect of
formulation A at day 4

Antimicrobial effect of trilayer ADFs on E. coli during storage of broccoli (12

days at 4°C).
 ADFs on fresh broccoli

Microbiolgical analysis

 Total inhibition of S.
Typhimurium at day 7

 Stronger antimicrobial
efficiency against gram-
negative bacteria

Antimicrobial effect of trilayer ADFs on S. Typhimurium during storage of

broccoli (12 days at 4°C).
.

Summary
Edible coating and Biodegradable packaging based on Natural polymers
can be used

• To protect food quality

• To carry natural antimicrobial compounds

The functionalisation of the polymer can improve the protection and the
release rate of the immobilized active compounds

Crosslinking reaction of natural polymers can improve the physico-

chemical properties of the films and their stability during storage time
of the packaged food
.

Summary
• ADFs (trilayer assembly) and encapsulation of natural
antimicrobials showed strong inhibiting capacity against E. coli and
S. Typhimurium over storage.

• These films could further be explored in food applications to

prevent pathogenic contamination during storage of fresh food,
based on a controlled release of volatiles into headspace of
packaging.
 Summary

Edible active coating and packaging could be used

in combination with modified packaging and
pasteurization treatments to increase the bacterial
sensitivity and to assure food safety
 Monique Lacroix, Ph.D.
Professor/Director

Research Laboratories in Sciences Applied to Food

Canadian Irradiation Centre

INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier
531 des Prairies blvd.
Laval city, Québec, Canada H7V 1B7
[email protected]
www.iaf.inrs.ca
Tel: 1 450 687 5010 ext 4489