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How Aloe Vera Can Protect Fruits, Vegetables
Aloe vera gel could be used to preserve the freshness of fruits and vegetables. While the gel is best known for its healing properties on burned or irritated skin, researchers in Spain have found it can also be used as an edible coatingthat can preserve the quality and safety of produce.It does not seem to affect the taste or appearance of food.
It could therefore be a natural and environmentally friendly alternative to the synthetic preservatives that are now applied to produce after harvesting.
Preserved Grapes
The researchers dipped table grapes into Aloe vera gel, and then stored them for five weeks at low temperature. Another group of grapes was left untreated, but was exposed to the same conditions.
The untreated grapes deteriorated within a week, but the coated grapes remained well-preserved for up to five weeks. They were firmer, had less weight loss, and less color change than the untreated grapes. Gel-treated grapes were also generally superior in taste.
A Natural Barrier
It is believed that the gel primarily works by acting as a natural barrier to moisture and oxygen. But it also appears to contain antibiotic and antifungal compounds that can inhibit microorganisms responsible for food-borne illness.
Safe for Human Consumption
Aloe vera is generally believed to be safe for human consumption, and has been used as an ingredient in some foods and beverages for many years. The colorless Aloe gel used in this study was developed through a special processing technique that maximized the amount of active compounds in the gel. The gel can also be applied as a spray.
Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry September 10, 2005
Science Daily September 22, 2005
How Aloe Vera Can Protect Fruits, Vegetables
It could therefore be a natural and environmentally friendly alternative to the synthetic preservatives that are now applied to produce after harvesting.
Preserved Grapes
The researchers dipped table grapes into Aloe vera gel, and then stored them for five weeks at low temperature. Another group of grapes was left untreated, but was exposed to the same conditions.
The untreated grapes deteriorated within a week, but the coated grapes remained well-preserved for up to five weeks. They were firmer, had less weight loss, and less color change than the untreated grapes. Gel-treated grapes were also generally superior in taste.
A Natural Barrier
It is believed that the gel primarily works by acting as a natural barrier to moisture and oxygen. But it also appears to contain antibiotic and antifungal compounds that can inhibit microorganisms responsible for food-borne illness.
Safe for Human Consumption
Aloe vera is generally believed to be safe for human consumption, and has been used as an ingredient in some foods and beverages for many years. The colorless Aloe gel used in this study was developed through a special processing technique that maximized the amount of active compounds in the gel. The gel can also be applied as a spray.
Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry September 10, 2005
Science Daily September 22, 2005
