Edible coating with probiotic as a quality factor for minimally processed carrots

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Minimally processed vegetables require effective preservation methods to maintain quality and extend shelf life.
• Edible coatings offer a promising approach to enhance the safety and sensory attributes of fresh-cut produce.
• Incorporating probiotics into edible coatings can provide additional health benefits and functional properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sodium alginate-based edible coating with probiotic potential.
• To evaluate the efficacy of this coating in maintaining the viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus.
• To assess the impact of the probiotic-enhanced coating on the safety, freshness, and quality of minimally processed carrots during cold storage.

Main Methods:

• Carrot slices were coated with sodium alginate solution, with and without Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14.
• Gelling was induced using a calcium chloride solution.
• Physical, chemical, and microbiological analyses were conducted over 19 days at 8°C ± 2°C.

Main Results:

• The sodium alginate coating effectively supported Lactobacillus acidophilus viability, with cell counts remaining high (7.11 log CFU/g).
• Probiotic-coated carrots exhibited significantly lower acidity increase, indicating reduced metabolic activity.
• The coating acted as a barrier, conserving moisture and minimizing color changes in the carrots.

Conclusions:

• Sodium alginate edible coatings are efficient carriers for probiotics like Lactobacillus acidophilus.
• Probiotic-enhanced alginate coatings improve the quality and shelf life of minimally processed carrots.
• These functional coatings hold potential for the commercialization of healthier and fresher minimally processed vegetable products.