Edible coatings enriched with Malva sylvestris L. extract

Edible coatings can play a leading role in food storage. In baked goods, attention is focused on inhibiting the processes of mold development and moisture loss. Adding functional ingredients to coatings can slow the spoilage process thus increasing shelf-life. The purpose of this study was to prepare edible coatings with polysaccharides and coconut oil enriched with an ethanol extract of Malva sylvestris L. flowers (mallow) and to characterize its physico-chemical and antibacterial properties. A computerized method for analysis of the digital dispersions images was used to further describe the enriched coatings. The rheological characteristics of the coatings were determined by structural mechanical analysis. All developed model emulsion coatings demonstrated a polydisperse character-the diameter of the globules in the studied volume ranged from 1.5 μm to 12 μm. All enriched coatings with mallow extract had better dispersion characteristics. The results showed that the presence of a mallow extract had a positive effect on the antibacterial activity of the xanthan food coating by increasing the zone of inhibition against Escherichia coli ATCC 8739. The pectin coating with mallow extract exhibited antibacterial activity against Salmonella NCTC 6017, while a suppressive effect on tests pathogen did not characterize the control sample.