Scientists Find a Way to Double The Shelf Life of Strawberries

This delicious fruit tends to start going moldy or soggy within a few days of purchase. Now, there's a way of keeping them fresher for longer.

Scientists have created an edible “biofilm” that can double a strawberry’s shelf life, thus helping to minimize food waste. In a recently published study, researchers at the University of São Paulo in Brazil compared the fruit’s lifespan with and without the biofilm. They found that the strawberries coated with the material grew fungi at around six to eight days, compared to four days for the fruit without the coating. Importantly, they claim, the coating didn’t sacrifice scent, flavour, or feel.

“By applying the coating, it was possible to double the shelf life of strawberries kept under refrigeration and delay the dehydration of the fruit, while preserving the taste, texture, and volatile compounds that give the fruit its characteristic aroma,” first author Mirella Romanelli Vicente Bertolo said of the biofilm, which - reports Phys.org - is made from a combination of recycled pomegranate peels, chitosan (a polymer found in crustacean shells), and gelatin.

This unique recipe creates a barrier around the fruit, which protects it against microorganisms, moisture loss, and gas exchange to keep strawberries delicious for as long as possible. As for the price, it’s estimated the coating would add an extra 2 cents per fruit. “This is a cost that consumers may be willing to pay for fruit with a longer shelf life and greater usage,” Bertolo said.

The researchers have filed a patent application for the formulation and intend to license the technology to interested companies.