Barrier properties and storage stability of edible coatings prepared with electrospraying

• A novel method, electrospraying is used for coating of food targets.
• Wrap around effect increased the coating efficiency.
• Target surface conductivity influenced the deposition of the coating material.
• Composition of coating material determined the coating efficiency.
• Barrier properties were influences by the stearic acid contents.

Electrospraying is a novel technique for the application of coating to foods. In this study, thin lipid-based coatings were prepared by electrospraying on model surface and evaluated for their moisture barrier functionality. Sunflower oil and chocolate based coating materials were electrosprayed at elevated temperature (60 °C) using a multiple nozzle system. Sunflower oil coated the sides and top surface of the target surfaces, while chocolate based material deposited primarily on the top surface. In chocolate based coatings, larger droplet size and related lower charge to mass ratio explained the limited “wrap-around effect”. Sunflower oil based coating penetrated into the target surfaces, which could be reduced by the addition of stearic acid (up to 0.15 g/g). However, this addition resulted in crystallization and crack formation during storage, and ultimately reduced barrier functionality. Conversely, chocolate-based material produced thicker coatings (up to 0.3 mm), which were more stable during storage and exhibited enhanced barrier properties.Industrial relevanceElectrospraying is an efficient coating technique which can reduce the processing costs for industrial processes. This technique has been successfully applied to increase the shelf life of a minimally processed food. The results found in this study can be used at industry to obtain food products with desired sensory attributes along with prolonged shelf life.