In the Agriculture and Produce Sector, the Aloe is starting to be used as an edible coating in some fruits to prolongue the lifetime into the shelves.

The Department of Food Technology, at the University Miguel Hernandez, in Alicante, Spain has researched and filed for a patent at European Union

The new preservative maintain the quality and safety of different fruits, but the research was conducted on Crimson Seedless table grapes during cold storage and subsequent shelf life. Table grapes, once harvested, show a reduction of shelf life due to a rapid loss of quality. Uncoated clusters showed a rapid deterioration with an estimated shelf life period of 7 days at 1 degrees C plus 4 days at 20 degrees C, based on the fast weight loss, color changes, accelerated softening and ripening, rachis browning, and high incidence of berry decay.

On the contrary, those clusters treated with Aloe vera gel significantly delayed the above parameters related to postharvest quality losses, and storability could be extended up to 35 days at 1 degrees C.

Interestingly, this edible coating was able to reduce the initial microbial counts for both mesophillic aerobic and yeast and molds, which significantly increased in uncoated berries over storage. Moreover, the sensory analyses revealed beneficial effects in terms of delaying rachis browning and dehydration and maintenance of the visual aspect of the berry without any detrimental effect on taste, aroma, or flavors.

To the authors' knowledge, this is the first time A. vera gel has been used as an edible coating in fruits, which would be an innovative and interesting means for commercial application and an alternative to the use of postharvest chemical treatments.

Aloetrade America offer various products for use in agricultural production in conjunction with the spanish owners of this technology.

In various countries, aloe gel is also being used to formulate bio fertilizers and bio funguicides.

Additional information can be obtained by mail at Aloetrade America e-mail