EDIBLE OIL-IN-WATER NANOEMULSION FORMULATIONS FOR POSTHARVEST AND/OR PREHARVEST PRESERVATION OF FRUITS OR VEGETABLES

This technology consists in a solution with a natural composition based on plant antioxidants that expands the shelf-life of stone fruits. It maintains fruit firmness (determined by firmness index) and reduces pathogen incidence (% of infection). Thus, guaranteeing fruit safety. The form of administration is easy and effective, by pulverizing it on the surface of the fruit (no additional equipment needed). Compared with other products in the marked, it is a better solution in terms of efficacy and safety. Approaches that nowadays are in the market are among others wax coatings that can produce rejection by consumer due to safety and health-related issues. Other formulas are based on edible coatings of fatty acid sucroesters, which can expand the shelf-life, but are not specific for stone fruits; and refrigerating systems can induce physiological disorders on stone fruits, notably reducing their quality. It has been tested at lab scale on plums and cherries, showing a positive effect on increasing up to 5 days the postharvest shelf-life.