Fortune' mandarin oranges were coated with edible hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-lipid composite coatings. The coatings consisted of beeswax, carnauba wax, or shellac, at 2 lipid contents (20% and 60%). Weight loss of coated mandarins decreased significantly as lipid content increased. Beeswax (60%) emulsions were associated with the lowest weight loss. Coated fruit had higher internal CO 2 , lower internal O 2 , and higher ethanol contents than uncoated fruit. At 20% lipid content, internal O 2 was lower and ethanol content was higher than at 60% lipid content, which could be related to the low oxygen permeability of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and the higher viscosity of these emulsions that could have affected final thickness.