Chinese scientists have developed an edible, washable protein-based coating that can extend the shelf life of fruit by 2½ times, by reducing moisture loss and microbial growth.
The low-cost coating was tested across 17 varieties of whole and cut fruits, including strawberry, tomato, kiwi and mango. It was shown to effectively delay rot by almost a week or more, at a cost of just 9 US cents per kilogram of fruit, according to a paper in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications.
