Edible coating for plant matter

Abstract

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

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition for coating a postharvest edible plant matter comprising a fruit or a vegetable having a natural glossy appearance, the composition comprising:
 a. an edible wax having a melting temperature lower than 70° C., said wax being beeswax;   b. a non-gelling hydrocolloid polymer;   c. a fatty acid;   d. an emulsifier; and   e. water,   wherein the edible wax is present in a weight percent ranging from 10% to 25% of the total weight of said composition, and wherein the hydrocolloid is present in a weight percent of up to 2% of the wet composition, and wherein the composition maintains the natural glossy appearance of the plant matter.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the edible plant matter is selected from the group consisting of peppers, eggplants and persimmons. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the edible plant matter is a pepper. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the edible wax is present in a weight percent ranging from 15% to 25% of the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocolloid is present in a weight percentage of up to 1% of the wet composition. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocolloid is selected from the group consisting of locust bean gum (LBG), guar gum, xanthan gum, gum tragacanth, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocolloid is locust bean gum. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , 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. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid is oleic acid. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , 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. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the emulsifier is morpholine. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the emulsifier is ammonia. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , comprising:
 10%-25% (w/w) of beeswax;   up to 1% (w/w) of the non-gelling hydrocolloid;   0.2%-10% (w/w) of the fatty acid;   0.1%-15% (w/w) of the emulsifier; and   49%-89% water, of the total weight of the composition.   
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the non-gelling hydrocolloid is locust bean gum; the fatty acid is oleic acid; and the emulsifier is morpholine. 
     
     
         15 . A composition for coating a postharvest edible plant matter comprising a fruit or a vegetable having a natural glossy appearance, the composition consisting essentially of:
 a. an edible wax having a melting temperature lower than 70° C., said wax being beeswax;   b. a non-gelling hydrocolloid polymer;   c. a fatty acid;   d. an emulsifier; and   e. water,   wherein the edible wax is present in a weight percent ranging from 10% to 25% of the total weight of said composition, and wherein the hydrocolloid is present in a weight percent of up to 2% of the wet composition, and wherein the composition maintains the natural glossy appearance of the plant matter.   
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 15 , consisting essentially of:
 10%-25% (w/w) of beeswax;   up to 1% (w/w) of the non-gelling hydrocolloid;   0.2%-10% (w/w) of the fatty acid;   0.1%-15% (w/w) of the emulsifier; and   49%-89% water, of the total weight of the composition.   
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein the non-gelling hydrocolloid is locust bean gum; the fatty acid is oleic acid; and the emulsifier is morpholine. 
     
     
         18 . A composition for coating a postharvest edible plant matter comprising a fruit or a vegetable having a natural glossy appearance, the composition consisting of:
 a. an edible wax having a melting temperature lower than 70° C., said wax being beeswax;   b. a non-gelling hydrocolloid polymer;   c. a fatty acid;   d. an emulsifier; and   e. water,   wherein the edible wax is present in a weight percent ranging from 10% to 25% of the total weight of said composition, and wherein the hydrocolloid is present in a weight percent of up to 2% of the wet composition, and wherein the composition maintains the natural glossy appearance of the plant matter.   
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 18 , consisting of:
 10%-25% (w/w) of beeswax;   up to 1% (w/w) of the non-gelling hydrocolloid;   0.2%-10% (w/w) of the fatty acid;   0.1%-15% (w/w) of the emulsifier; and   49%-89% water, of the total weight of the composition.   
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the non-gelling hydrocolloid is locust bean gum; the fatty acid is oleic acid; and the emulsifier is morpholine.