Mexican researchers invent "edible coating" to make food last longer

Researchers in Mexico have invented an "edible coating" that extends the shelf life of fresh produce, a leading university said on Friday.

Mexico's National Autonomous University (UNAM) called the breakthrough "an important contribution to the food industry."

UNAM researchers created the "edible coating, whose purpose is to prolong the useful life of fruits and vegetables by diminishing the process of oxidation and controlling dehydration once they are sliced," the university said in a press release.

The head of the research team, Maria de la Luz Zambrano, said that after being cut, an apple or other type of fruit or vegetable begins to turn brown and show other signs of deterioration, "but that is reduced by applying our invention."

According to UNAM, the invention works by immersing cut fruit in a coating "made of nanocapsules that contain an antioxidant or other functional ingredient ... to achieve conservation."

The coating can extend the life of refrigerated produce by up to three weeks, depending on the particular fruit or vegetable.

The coating, which can be applied to meats and other foods, recently won first prize in an UNAM program aimed at promoting innovation and increasing the number of patents. Endit