Food Processing

The edible coating is should be promisable that should not brings any side effects and to save the water, aroma and impermeable to oxygen and microbial growth. Chitosan have good antimicrobial and antifungal property that will provides a better edible coating and respiration rate also reduced by permeability of carbon dioxide and oxygen. The extension of storage life and good control of decay of peaches, Japanese pears and kiwifruits has achieved through use of chitosan as well as in cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes by chitosan coating. These coating provides decreased rate of respiration, inhibition of fungal development and delaying the fruit ripening by reduction of ethylene and carbon dioxide evolution. Mechanical injuries during post harvest leads to production of phenolic compounds with polyphenolic oxidase which directly affect the taste , colour and nutritional values. But chitosan film uses will change the content of anthocyanin, flavonoids and total phenolics.

Chitosan is widely used as film to improve food safety and shelf life. Chitosan based films are proved to be very safe for food preservation. Chitosan is widely used in antimicrobial film to serve edible protective coating. Chitosan and Chitosan-laminated film has antimicrobial agent and preservatives from the film will deposit onto the food surface and there by inhibit microbial growth likes food spoiling microorganisms includes fungi and defeat against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.