GRAS "Generally Regarded as Safe" Coatings for Vegetables

Many desire to eat healthy nowadays therefore creating a high demand for fruits and vegetables. However, meeting the demand may be difficult for producers and marketers due to the challenge in handling the high perishability of harvested fruits and vegetables. As such, researchers are constantly studying methods to prolong the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.

Phytochemicals are naturally occurring chemical compounds in plants and its extracts. Coatings derived from phytochemical extracts can be Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) to enhance the shelf life of highly perishable vegetables. The application of extracts also sustains the Free Radical Scavenging Activity (FRSA) of coated vegetables.