ENN 15mar01 Edible coatings have come a long way since Grandma used an egg wash on her Swedish tea ring to make the crust shiny and golden. Grandma now works as a greeter at Wal-Mart, and the production of edible films and coatings have become big business, serving demanding food consumers who insist that food be fresh, crisp, visually appealing and always available.
Some edible coatings are invisible.
Some are so much a part of the food that we are not aware of them even though they may be visible. Consumers are not keen on soggy french fries, dried out bakery goods or greasy fish. Stale nuts or chocolate gone gray stay on the shelf. New coatings are coming to a market near you. That dewy fresh slice of apple on the deli tray may be three weeks instead of three minutes old.