Abstract

Incorporation of Natural Antimicrobials in Edible Films for Food Preservation: A Review

Author(s): Kavitha Dhandapani , Ramya Krishnamurthy and Padma. P. Raghunathan

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 questionsfor 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

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