## 3 Edible Coatings
### Commercial Edible Coatings for Fruits  
The beginnings of edible coatings date back to the 12 th and 13 th centuries when they were used as waxes applied to oranges and lemons to extend the storage time and delay water loss. In the 1930s, hot-melt paraffin waves were already used commercially as edible coatings for fresh apples and pears [110]. The first edible \"Yuba\" films made using soy proteins were recorded in the 15 th century in Japan, while in the 16 th century in England, the practice of coating fruit and vegetables in lard to prevent moisture loss began. Due to consumers' growing quality requirements, the market of edible coatings and films is rapidly developing, leading to commercial production. This fact caused the development of many companies towards the packaging industry, and edible coatings produced by many foreign companies are used on the market, including BioEnvelop(r), COGIN(r), ENAK(r), Freshseel(tm), Fry Shield(tm), GREENSOL(r), Nature Seal(tm), Nutrasave(tm), Opta Glaze(tm), Seal gum, Spray gum(tm), Semperfresh(tm), SHELLAC (E904), and Z-Coat(tm) [111]. Also in Poland, in 2016, a Polish researcher, [PERSON], developed eco-friendly packaging by Scoby Packaging Materials(tm) with the so-called tea mushroom (kombucha). SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) is an innovative method of obtaining packaging that does not need light, sterile conditions, and advanced technologies for production, and after use, it can be thrown into compost, where it will decompose naturally or simply eaten [112; 113].  
Coatings may be applied to food surfaces by dipping, spraying, fluidised-bed, and panning. The application of these methods depends on the type of food to be coated, the surface characteristics, and the main purpose of the coating. Dipping is a popular food-coating method that involves immersing the product in a dispersion that forms a coating. This method involves three main steps. The first step involves immersion in an emulsion/coating solution in an amount that allows for complete interaction between the substrate and the coating matrix, deposition. The second step removes excess liquid from the product by deposition and creates a thin coating layer on the surface. The third step involves evaporating the solvent from the product surface by heating or drying. The coating solution can be sprayed using three techniques: a high-velocity air jet is sprayed around a low-velocity fluid; air-assisted spray guns partially atomise the fluid and then use small amounts of compressed air to complete the atomisation. The last spraying method, the so-called pressure atomisation, involves applying an edible coating to the product using pressure. A widely used method in food processing is the fluidisation method, which applies thin layers of coating material to dry particles of low density and/or small size. Inthis process, the solution is sprayed through a series of nozzles to create a structure. The panning method involves placing the coated food product in a large rotating bowl called a pan. In the next step, the coating solution is sprinkled or sprayed into the rotating bowl while the product is constantly rotated to distribute the solution evenly. Drying of such a coating occurs using air at a minimum room temperature or higher. Extruded articles with a round or oval structure (e.g., nuts) are suitable for this method [70].