Gelatin-Chitosan Composite Films and Edible Coatings to Enhance the Quality of Food Products: Layer-by-Layer vs. Blended Formulations

Two different approaches, blending and layer-by-layer electrostatic deposition (LbL), were utilized to combine two biopolymers, gelatin and chitosan, in edible films or coatings. The performance of the blended and LbL composite films and single-component gelatin and chitosan films was compared in terms of mechanical, optical, and spectroscopic properties. In parallel, edible coatings based on these formulations were applied on a food model: fresh-cut melon. Physiological, textural, and microbiological parameters of the coated fruit were studied in comparison with non coated control. Surprisingly, in spite of the higher thickness, the composite films and especially the LbL formulation demonstrated enhanced water vapor permeability as compared to single-component films. The LbL film had higher strength and better elasticity than the blended one. All edible coatings containing chitosan effectively inhibited microbial growth on fresh-cut melons. The LbL formulation demonstrated the most effective inhibition of the total microbial growth especially after 5–7 days of storage, while the blended formulation demonstrated high antifungal activity after 11 days of storage. The LbL formulation demonstrated superior performance in preservation of fruit texture and also slightly reduced fruit weight loss, while the blended formulation did not improve these parameters. Both composite coatings do not obstruct fruit gas exchange and do not cause accumulation of off-flavor volatiles.