Chapter 1 Standard and new processing techniques used in the preparation of films and coatings at the lab level and scale-up

SLAVUTSKY, ANIBAL M.; BERTUZZI, MARÍA A.

Edible Films and Coatings: Fundamentals and Applications.

CRC Press

Año: 2016; p. 1 - 23

In recent decades, there have been many documents referring to research in the development of edible and nonedible films and coatings made from biodegradable materials. Before continuing, it may be useful to clarify what we mean by films and coatings, as there may be separate words for these two concepts in some languages while one word is used to refer to both in others. In both cases, they are materials that cover food, and they may also be described as edible packaging. Film is a type of packaging that is made separately and then applied to food as a covering. Coatings are solutions applied on the surface of food that remain attached to the food; often they are extremely thin and transparent, making them imperceptible to the human eye. The advances in this area have been breathtaking, and, in fact, their implementation in the industry is already a reality, especially with regard to coatings, as their application in the food industry is relatively simple, despite the fact that there are always obstacles to be overcome. However, the development of biodegradable films is also a fact, although it is still in its infancy. One of the most typical cases is the manufacture of biodegradable bags made from potato peel or from starch obtained from various sources, generally cross-linked with polylactic acid. Even so, there is still a need for broad development in various fields and from various perspectives. A particularly novel application is their use as edible coatings or films in the design of gourmet foods, where fantasy and imagination provide a lot of scope for innovation in terms of shapes, textures, and colors?in other words, sensory appearance in every sense. With new advances in the incorporation of bioactive compounds, the possibilities are numerous, as there are not only a wide range of compounds but also the ways in which they are incorporated and even loaded in carriers that control their release and activity present challenges in which further advances are constantly being made. Once again, there are two possibilities, depending on the form that the ?activity? takes, whether it is directed toward the preservation of food or to the effect after ingestion. Films and coatings also have the potential for applications in agronomy, as yet little explored and exploited, which could provide considerable advances in the preservation and quality of food. All these matters, and also the management of any waste produced, are rigorously treated in this book from a critical viewpoint, for we feel it is important not only to describe the scientific advances that have been made but also to comment on the weaknesses and gaps that may remain. We hope that this book proves to be a real advancement in comparison to previous publications, making it genuinely worth reading.