New technological advances in antimicrobial edible coatings for food may hold promise in extending shelf life, reducing packaging layers, meeting food safety and quality requirements. Emerging research shows polysaccharides, bacteriocins, essential oils, enzymes, proteins and lipids are all natural coatings that have unrealized potential in food preservation. Recently, interest has increased in using Aloe vera gel-based edible coating material for fruits and vegetables. Aloe vera gel has been proven one of the best edible and biologically safe preservative coatings for different types of foods because of its film-forming properties, antimicrobial actions, biodegradability and biochemical properties. It is composed mainly of polysaccharides and acts as a natural barrier to moisture and oxygen, which are the main agents of deterioration of fruits and vegetables. Aloe vera gel has the ability to prolong shelf life of the fruits and vegetables by minimizing the rate of respiration and maintaining quality attributes (color, flavor etc.). It has antifungal and antibacterial property which provides a defensive barrier against microbial contamination of fruits and vegetables. The present review describes the preparation, properties and potential application of Aloe vera gel coatings for enhancing the postharvest life and quality of different types of fruits.

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Biopolymers, like polysaccharides and proteins, are sustainable and green materials with excellent film-forming potential. Bio-based films have gained a lot of attention and are believed to be an alternative to plastics in next-generation food packaging. Compared to conventional plastics, biopolymers inherently have certain limitations like hydrophilicity, poor thermo-mechanical, and barrier properties. Therefore, the modification of biopolymers or their films provide an opportunity to develop packaging materials with desired characteristics. Among different modification approaches, the application of cold plasma has been a very efficient technology to enhance the functionality and interfacial characteristics of biopolymers. Cold plasma is biocompatible, shows uniformity in treatment, and is suitable for heat-sensitive components. This review provides information on different plasma generating equipment used for the modification of films and critically analyses the impact of cold plasma on packaging properties of films prepared from protein, polysaccharides, and their combinations. Most studies to date have shown that plasma treatment effectively enhances surface characteristics, mechanical, and thermal properties, while its impact on the improvement of barrier properties is limited. Plasma treatment increases surface roughness that enables surface adhesion, ink printability, and reduces the contact angle. Plasma-treated films loaded with antimicrobial compounds demonstrate strong antimicrobial efficacy, mainly due to the increase in their diffusion rate and the non-thermal nature of cold plasma that protects the functionality of bioactive compounds. This review also elaborates on the existing challenges and future needs. Overall, it can be concluded that the application of cold plasma is an effective strategy to modify the inherent limitations of biopolymer-based packaging materials for food packaging applications.

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Aquatic food products, including fish and crustaceans, are some of the most consumed foods globally and are highly prone to microbial contamination. Such products have been preserved using conventional processing techniques such as freezing, cold storage, modified atmospheric packaging (MAP), and vacuum packaging. However, these techniques have been used since decades and are not cost‐effective. Therefore, alternative sustainable strategies need to be explored. One viable option is the application of biopolymer‐based films and coatings loaded with active antimicrobial agents (peptides and essential oil components) for the preservation of aquatic food products. Nisin is the most widely used peptide for the development of antimicrobial coatings, while eugenol, carvacrol, and cinnamaldehyde are among the most popular essential oil compounds. Findings reveal that both peptides and essential oils, when applied in combination within a coating system, demonstrate robust antimicrobial activity, delayed lipid oxidation, and retain the overall quality of the aquatic food system. Novelty impact statement Antimicrobial‐based coating systems have recently gained worldwide attention due to their ability to delay food contamination and maintain product quality throughout the storage period. This review provides a comprehensive description of peptide and essential oil‐loaded coating systems and their application in the shelf‐life extension of aquatic food products. In addition, the application of nanocomposite systems for the preservation of aquatic foods has been discussed.

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