Volume 57 Issue 5 (October 2023) 555 REVIEW ARTICLE Indian Journal of Agricultural Research, Volume 57 Issue 5: 555-558 (October 2023) Edible Coatings in Extending the Shelf Life of Fruits: A Review T.K. Hazarika 1 , C. Lalhriatpuia 1 , Rody Ngurthankhumi 1 , Esther Lalruatsangi 1 , H. Lalhmachhuani 1 10.18805/IJARe.A-5725 ABSTRACT Post-harvest losses of fruits are a matter of concern for all those nations whose economy is based on horticulture. Fruits face tremendous loss due to old-fashioned preservation practice and ignorance about the preservation strategies. Consumers around the world demand for food of high-quality, without chemical preservatives and an extended shelf life. New technological advances in edible coatings for food may hold promise in extending shelf life, reducing packaging layers, meeting food safety and quality requirements. Among various coatings, edible coatings have been proven one of the best biologically safe preservative coatings for different types of foods because of its film-forming properties, antimicrobial actions, bio degradability and biochemical properties. It acts as a natural barrier to moisture and oxygen, which are the main agents of deterioration of fruits and vegetables. Edible coatings have the ability to prolong shelf life of the fruits by minimizing the rate of respiration and maintaining quality attributes. It has antifungal and antibacterial properties which provide a defensive barrier against microbial contamination. The present review describes about the different edible coatings and their potential application for enhancing the postharvest life and quality of different types of fruits. Key words: Edible coatings, Fruits, Shelf life. Major losses in quality and quantity of fresh fruits occur between harvest and consumption. Savings obtained through reduction of postharvest fruit losses is regarded as ‘a hidden harvest’. Through a better understanding of the respiration process of fresh fruits, several techniques have been developed that are successful in extending shelf life. Consumers around the world demand for food of high- quality, without chemical preservatives and an extended shelf life. Many storage techniques have been developed to extend the marketing distances and holding periods for commodities after harvest. Emerging research shows polysaccharides, bacteriocins, essential oils, enzymes, proteins and lipids are all natural coatings that have unrealized potential in food preservation. Among various methods to extend the post-harvest life of fruits, the use of the edible coatings has gained a good momentum. The application of edible coatings is increasingly demonstrating to be a relatively new and simple technology effective in preventing the appearance and textural deterioration of several products. Edible coatings based on cellulose gums effectively delay ripening in some climacteric fruits like mangoes, papayas and bananas and significantly reduce enzymatic browning on sliced mushrooms (Nisperos- Carriedo et al., 1991). Several polysaccharides (chitosan, alginate, methylcellulose or pectin) and proteins (casein, collagen, gelatin, phaseolin, zein, soy or whey proteins), or mixtures of them, were shown to give rise to edible films effective as water vapour and gas barriers for a wide range of food products and as carriers for antimicrobials. In particular, antimicrobial containing films are recently gaining potential interest in reducing the deleterious effects caused by minimal cut processing of fresh fruits and vegetables (Conte et al., 2009). Some of the most commonly used 1 Department of Horticulture, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, School of Earth Sciences and Natural Resources Management, Mizoram University, Aizawl-796 004, Mizoram, India. Corresponding Author: T.K. Hazarika, Department of Horticulture, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, School of Earth Sciences and Natural Resources Management, Mizoram University, Aizawl-796 004, Mizoram, India. Email: tridip28@gmail.com How to cite this article: Hazarika, T.K., Lalhriatpuia, C., Ngurthankhumi, R., Lalruatsangi, E., Lalhmachhuani, H. (2023). Edible Coatings in Extending the Shelf Life of Fruits: A Review. Indian Journal of Agricultural Research. 57(5): 555-558. doi: 10.18805/IJARe.A-5725. Submitted: 09-12-2020 Accepted: 23-04-2021 Online: 12-05-2021 antimicrobials include benzoic acid, sorbic acid, lysozyme, bacteriocins and plant-derived secondary metabolites, such as essential oils and phytoalexins. The mechanism by which edible coatings preserve fruits and vegetables is the establishment of a modified atmosphere around the product, which serves as a partial barrier to O 2 and CO 2 , water vapour and aroma compounds, decreasing the respiration rate of the fruit and water loss and preserving texture and flavor (Olivas et al., 2008). In addition to the use of edible coatings, food additives can be added to plant foods to control detrimental reactions (Rojas- Graü et al., 2009). An edible coating is a thin layer that is deposited on the surface of a fruit and is co - consumed. It is used to improve handling properties, prevent moisture loss, to increase the shelf life and to reduce the need of packaging material during transport (Verma et al., 2012). Edible coatings act as moisture and oil barrier at low to intermediate RH because the polymers make effective