In the past few decades, fruits have been increasingly consumed, leading to an increase in global fruit production. However, fresh produce is susceptible to large losses during production and preservation. In the postharvest preservation stage, fruits undergo various technical treatments for maintaining their quality. A widely adopted technology is the application of edible coatings, which can be applied to a diverse range of fruits to regulate the exchange of moisture and gases between the fruit and its environment. In addition, edible coatings provide a significant benefit by allowing the integration of different active ingredients into the coating’s matrix, meaning that these substances will associate with and possibly be eaten together with the fruit. This would help improve the organoleptic and nutritional qualities of the fruit as well as the shelf life. This paper provides an overview of the available data on the typical components used in coating matrix, focusing on the effect of the material combinations and application techniques to fruit properties. The processors can use this knowledge in choosing a suitable coating material and concentration for various fresh and fresh-cut fruits. Additionally, this paper reviews recent developments and limitations in utilizing edible coatings for prolonging the shelf-life of fruits.

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Moisture content is an important quality attribute that directly influences storability of fruits and vegetables. The main goal of the present work was to test laser light backscattering imaging technique as a monitoring tool during drying of banana (Musa × cavendishii L.) slices. Laser diode emitting at 670 nm was used as the light source, whereas a charge-coupled device camera served as detector. The photon migration into the tissue was recorded as the average profile of the intensity gradient and expressed by two parameters, the size of the total illuminated area (square centimeters) on the surface and the radius (centimeters) of this area. The two attributes correlated with each other (r=0.97-0.98). Backscattering images of slices were acquired each hour during the drying process at three different temperatures: 53, 58, and 63°C. The two parameters of the intensity profile responded sensitively to changing moisture content. Significant relationship was found between changes in backscattering area and moisture content, especially at lower temperatures (r= 0.76, T=53°C), when almost no tissue browning occurred. At higher temperatures, correlations were observed between the parameters extracted by image processing and a* standard color index, especially at increased drying temperature due to the browning of the tissue.