Scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the University of Lleida in Spain have developed an edible coating for fresh fruits and vegetables. Not only is it a promising alternative to antimicrobial washes to cut food spoilage and contamination, the coatings may also provide added health benefits to the food, such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Composed of apple puree and oregano oil, which acts as a natural antibacterial agent, the coating shows promise in laboratory studies of becoming a long-lasting, potent alternative to conventional produce washes [snip]

Preliminary testing in the laboratory showed that the plant-derived film was effectiv in inhibiting the growth of pathogenic E. coli O157:H7.

"All produce-cleaning methods help to some degree, but our new coatings and films may provide a more concentrated, longer-lasting method for killing bacteria," says Research Leader Tara H. McHugh, Ph.D., a food chemist with the USDA's Agricultural Research Service in Albany, Calif.

The study has been published in the Nov. 29 issue of the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.