Asian J. Adv. Basic Sci.: 2017, 5(2), 54-59 ISSN (Print): 2454 – 7492 ISSN (Online): 2347 – 4114 www.ajabs.org 54 INTRODUCTION: Food contamination and spoilage by microbial contamination still pose to be an im- portant public health and economic concern for the human society. Among many strategies to inhibit the growth of undesirable microorganisms, the use of chemical agents that exhibit antimicrobial activity are prevalent. These chemicals may be either synthetic compounds intentionally added to foods or naturally occurring and biologically derived substances. But, advances in analytical methods have raised questions concerning the safety of such synthetic compounds. 1 Hence, the consumers prefer natural additives includ- ing antimicrobial agents incorporated into food prod- ucts. 2 Several research groups have documented the activity of natural antimicrobial compounds isolated from fruits, vegetables, grains, herbs and spices which can be incorporated. 3 Packaging plays a fundamental role for food preservation by maintaining quality, to protect from microbes and for preparing the product for commercial handling. Since, the final disposal of synthetic films results in additional recycling costs and ecological problems, use of biodegradable edible films are being preferred. 4 This review focuses on the importance of biodegradable edible films which are incorporated with natural antimicrobials. EDIBLE COATINGS AND THEIR COMPOSI- TION: Edible coatings are thin layers of edible mate- rial applied to the product surface to control moisture transfer and gas exchange. Biopolymers such as pro- teins, lipids and polysaccharides can be used for the formation of edible films and coatings. 5 An edible coating is a thin layer of edible material formed as a coating on a food product, while an edible film is a preformed thin layer, made of edible material, which can be placed on or between food components. 6 They are applied directly on the food surface by dipping, spraying, or brushing to create a modified atmos- phere. 7 As the edible films are ultimately consumed, the material used for the preparation of edible films and coatings should be generally regarded as safe (GRAS) approved by FDA and must conform to the regulations that apply to the food product concerned 8 . Edible and biodegradable coatings must meet a num- ber of special functional requirements, for example, moisture barrier, solute or gas barrier, water/ lipid solubility, color and appearance, mechanical charac- teristics, less toxic, etc. The effect of coatings on fruits and vegetables depends greatly on temperature, alka- linity, thickness and type of coating, and the variety and condition of fruit and vegetable. 9 Edible coatings can be produced from materials with film forming ability. The solvents used can be water, alcohol, mixture of water and alcohol, or a mixture of other solvents. Edible coatings may be composed of polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, and composites. A combination of these often gives best results. Edible coatings can also be made from a variety of polysac- charides. 10 Plasticizers, antimicrobial agents, minerals, vitamins, colors, or flavors can be added in this process, adjust- Incorporation of Natural Antimicrobials in Edible Films for Food Preservation: A Review Kavitha Dhandapani 1* , Ramya Krishnamurthy 2 and Padma. P. Raghunathan 3 1,2,3 Dept. of Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore- 43,Tamil Nadu, INDIA * Correspondance: E-mail: dkavithabiotech@gmail.com (Received 18 Aug, 2017; Accepted 04 Sept, 2017; Published 23 Sept, 2017) ABSTRACT: Development of edible films proves to be a potential alternative for conventional synthetic plastic based preservation employed in food packaging industry, since the use of chemical additives has raised questions for the consumption of such preserved foods. Application of antimicrobial compounds from natural resources such as plants would be better substitutes when incorporated into bio- degradable edible films thus enhancing their safety. Several compounds which have been proposed to have such antimicrobial activity against food borne pathogens are found to be extracts or essential oils from plant origin. Studying the physicochemical properties of such compounds incorporated in edible films will provide a better insight in improving the mechanical strength and stability of the films and enable their successful development. This review focuses on the use of edible coatings as carriers of natu- ral antimicrobials which can be used to preserve fruits and vegetables for increasing their shelf lives. Keywords: Edible films; essential oils; food preservation; natural antimicrobials and shelf- life.