Chitosan -Based Edible Films

Abstract

What is an edible packaging? An edible film or coating is simply defined as a thin film of edible material formed and sprayed on foods or food components. This package can be eaten as a part of the whole food product; it is also biodegradable, so if dumped it will disintegrate in reasonable short time. Edible films and coatings offer extra advantages such as edibility, biocompatibility, esthetic appearance, barrier to gas properties, nontoxicity, nonpolluting, and having low cost (No et al. J Food Sci 72(5):87-100, 2007). In addition, biofilms and coatings by themselves are acting as carriers of food additives (i.e., antioxidants, antimicrobials) and have been particularly considered in food preservation due to their ability to extend the shelf life. This chapter will focus mainly on edible films based on chitosan-a wonderful amazing material which is derived from the naturally occurring polymer chitin.