Edible coating for plant matter

Abstract

Provided is a composition and methods for reducing the weight loss and/or preserving the natural gloss of post-harvest edible plant matter. In particular, the methods including applying to the surface of the plant matter a composition including an edible wax having a melting temperature below 70° C.; a hydrocolloid; a fatty acid; an emulsifier; and water, wherein said edible wax is present in a weight percent ranging from about 10% to about 25% of the total weight of the composition.

1 .- 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . A method for reducing the weight loss and preserving the natural gloss of a post-harvest edible plant matter comprising the step of applying to the surface of the plant matter a composition comprising:
 a. an edible wax having a melting temperature lower than about 70° C.;   b. a hydrocolloid polymer comprising a non-gelling hydrocolloid polymer;   c. a fatty acid;   d. an emulsifier; and   e. water,   
       thereby coating the edible plant matter with the composition, which preserves the natural gloss of the plant matter, wherein the edible wax is present in a weight percent ranging from 10% to 25% of the total weight of said composition. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising the steps:
 i) Drying the coating of the edible plant matter; and   ii) Brushing the dried coated edible plant matter.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the edible plant matter is selected from the group consisting of peppers, eggplants cherries, berries, plums and persimmons. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the edible wax is selected from the group consisting of an animal wax, insect wax, microcrystalline wax and paraffin wax. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the edible wax is beeswax. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the edible wax is present in a weight percent ranging from about 15% to about 25% of the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the hydrocolloid polymer is selected from the group consisting of locust bean gum (LBG), guar gum, gum Arabic, xanthan gum, gum tragacanth, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the hydrocolloid polymer is present in a weight percent of up to 2% of the wet composition. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of oleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, behenic acid, isostearic acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the fatty acid is present in a weight percent of about 0.2 to about 10% of the wet composition. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of morpholine, ammonia, lecithin, ethylene glycol monostearate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, sodium steroyl-2-lactylate, potassium oleate, propylene glycol monostearate, sodium alkyl sulfate, polyglycol, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the composition is applied to the surface of the plant matter when the temperature of the composition is from about 35° C. to about 50° C. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the brushing is performed using a brush comprising natural fibers. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the brushing is performed for about 1 to about 10 min. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the brushing is performed at a brushing speed of about 100 rounds per minute (rpm) to about 300 rpm. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the composition comprises:
 a. 10%-25% (w/w) of the edible wax;   b. up to 1% (w/w) of the hydrocolloid polymer;   c. 0.2%-10% (w/w) of the fatty acid;   d. 0.1%-15% of the emulsifier; and   e. 49%-89% (w/w) of water,   wherein the edible wax is beeswax.