Health-Conscious Consumers Fuel Edible Film Growth

INDIANAPOLISConsumers looking for more healthful foods that require less preparation are fueling the edible-film industry, where the advancement of invisible, colorless, odorless and tasteless coatings are keeping foods fresh, flavorful and safe for longer periods of time, according to data presented at 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Attila E. Pavlath, Ph.D., who spoke at the expo, said the use of edible films likely will expand dramatically in the futureespecially for fruits and vegetablesas health-conscious consumers look for more foods that require minimal preparation like cut fruit and premixed salads. The edible-film industry has grown dramatically since the mid-1980s, when only 10 companies were in the business, to more than 1,000 companies with annual sales exceeding $100 million today. Ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables now account for about 10% of all produce sales, with sales exceeding $10 billion annually.

Todays edible films allow the exchange of gases and have other features that maintain freshness, flavor, aroma, texture and nutritional value. They generally provide the same protection against bacteria as the natural skin if the foods are handled under sterile conditions when they are cut in the factory, Pavlath said. Workers either spray on the films or immerse the foods in the liquid coating after cutting. The finished fruits and vegetables then go to consumers in sealed containers.

According to Pavlath, the two food items to pose challenges in edible coating research and development are bananas and avocados. People consume bananas each year in quantities greater than apples and oranges combined, although researchers have yet to find an edible coating that would make fresh-cut sliced bananas a commercial reality. A coating has not been developed for avocados either, which are also notorious for discoloring quickly after peeling.

The future of sustainable packaging was also discussed at the expo, where scientists discussed progress and possibilities, such as edible packaging.