Chitosan coatings enriched with essential oils: Effects on fungi involved in fruit decay and mechanisms of action

摘要

Background: Pesticides have a negative impact on the health of consumers and on the environment, and as a consequence, the use of naturally occurring antimicrobial agents have become more popular to prevent food spoilage. An alternative is the use of chitosan, because of its antimicrobial, antioxidant activities and its capacity to form films having good mechanical properties. Chitosan has been used in the preparation of films and coatings for the preservation of different food products, and the addition of essential oils have been shown to be a good strategy to improve its antimicrobial activity in situ.