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Edible Food Coating

2022 AUG 17

Preliminary   > Science and Technology   >   Innovation and New technologies   >   Innovation and New technologies

Why in news?

  • Researchers at the IIT Guwahati have developed an edible coating that can extend the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables.
  • This coating can keep the produce fresh for much longer than it was possible without it.

About the new development:

  • Researchers used a mix of an extract of a marine microalga called Dunaliella tertiolecta and polysaccharides to produce it.

About Dunaliella tertiolecta:

  • Dunaliella is a single-celled, photosynthetic green alga, that is characteristic for its ability to outcompete other organisms and thrive in hypersaline environments.
  • It is mostly a marine organism, though there are a few freshwater species that tend to be more rare
  • The microalga is known for its antioxidant properties and has various bioactive compounds such as carotenoids and proteins.
  • It is also used to produce algal oil, a non-animal source of omega-3 fatty acid and is considered a good source of biofuel.

Benefits of this edible coating:

  • The films displayed superior antioxidant activity, thermal stability, mechanical strength, total phenolic content and water vapour barrier property.
  • They also had excellent UV light-blocking properties.

Significance of this development:

  • According to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, between 4.6 and 15.9% of fruits and vegetables go waste post-harvest, partly due to poor storage conditions.
  • Hence, the development of this edible coating can help extend the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

‘Dunaliella tertiolecta’, recently seen in news for its application to develop edible food coating, is a:

(a) Fungus

(b) Microalga

(c)  Bacteria

(d) Virus

Answer