Edible Coatings May Boost Food Safety

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"But, at this point, it looks promising," McHugh said. If the new research continues to show promise, she predicted that edible, antimicrobial coatings could find commercial application within a year or two.

Edible food coatings without antimicrobial activity have already been used commercially because they help prevent spoilage, she noted.

The USDA's commercial partner, Origami Foods, has used apple puree coatings on hams, and has used and carrot- and tomato-based films on sushi, she said. In addition, restaurant chefs have used both fruit- and vegetable-based coatings on everything from appetizers to main courses and desserts.

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"We very much want to transfer the technologies we develop into commercialization, but we can only do that through partnerships with other companies," McHugh said. "Some of the reasons we at USDA are interested in this research is to help growers get more value from their fruits and vegetables, and also to help consumers eat more fruits and vegetables."

More information

For more on safe food handling, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture (www.fsis.usda.gov ).

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