Edible bio-coatings for postharvest preservation of fruits and vegetables: advances in biopolymer-based materials and emerging sources
Palabras clave:
Brosimum alicastrum, agricultural byproducts, biopolymers, sustainable packaging, postharvest technologyResumen
Edible coatings are a sustainable strategy for postharvest preservation of fruits and vegetables, reducing losses and replacing synthetic packaging. This review synthesizes recent advances in materials, mechanisms of action, and applications, with particular emphasis on the valorization of agro-industrial byproducts within circular bioeconomy models. Conventional starches are compared with Brosimum alicastrum Sw. (Moraceae), an underutilized Mesoamerican species that exhibits film-forming capacity, high phenolic content, and antioxidant activity in hybrid systems. The analysis addresses regulatory aspects, sensory limitations, and industrial scalabil ity challenges, while proposing pathways for active and biodegradable formulations adapted to commercial storage conditions. Findings highlight B. alicastrum as an emerging resource with potential to strengthen tropical agri-food chains and reduce postharvest waste through sustain able coating technologies. Its use as an edible coating could encourage cultivation in backyard orchards in Mexico and provide added value to this underutilized tropical fruit.
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Derechos de autor 2026 María José Ocampo-Góngora, Elizabeth León-García, Zahaed Evangelista-Martínez, Manuel Octavio Ramírez-Sucre, Alberto Uc-Varguez, Gastélum-Martínez
Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0.
