Polysaccharides can be abundantly found in renewable sources such as plants, sea-weeds, algae, and microbial. However, the categorization of polysaccharides is complex. Based on their composition, polysaccharides can be divided into homoglycans with a single constituent in the main polymeric chain and heteroglycans with two or more constituents in the main polymeric chain, alternate or irregular sequence [
72,
73]. Physico-chemical properties of polysaccharides vary from the degree of polymerization, molecular weight, ring size, anomeric configuration, linkage type, and absence or branching [
72,
73]. Hence, solvent polysaccharide interactions of polysaccharides make them soluble, insoluble, and partially soluble. Insoluble polysaccharides are compact chains and tend to partial crystallization. Polysaccharides can act as sacrificing agents which can preserve moist nature of foods [
65].
Polysaccharides EF & EC are highly compatible with F & V as they are colourless and provide excellent barrier protection against oils and organic molecules [
29,
68,
81]. However, polysaccharides EF&EC are less resistant to moisture and do not deliver sufficient water barrier, which is essential for F & V. Polysaccharides EF & EC are efficient in modifying the controlled environment in the preservation of F & V by reducing the respiration rate from moderate permeability to O
2 and CO
2 [
82]. In recent research, active components such as antimicrobials, vitamins, antioxidants, bactericides, and preservatives are incorporated into polysaccharide matrixes. Active EF & EC from polysaccharides solutions can be designed through functionalization, crosslinking, and composites for advanced preservation, control release, bioactivity, protection, and water barrier properties [
83]. The application of polysaccharides may still be economically reliable for F & V applications with a short shelf-life expectancy and have extremely thick natural protection peels as a low-cost preservation strategy. However, EF & EC may not interfere with the taste due to oxidation or rancidity and, when needed, dope other chemicals for extended performance.
4.1. Cellulose and cellulosic derivatives
Cellulose is the most abundant renewable material on earth and can be extracted from the cell wall of plants, algae, tunicates, and some bacteria [
84]. The linear homo-polymer/homoglycan structure of cellulose is low density and has a degree of crystallinity varying between 40-70% having disordered, loosely packed amorphous regions that are susceptible to surface reactions [
85,
86]. In densely packed crystalline domains, intramolecular hydrogen bonding is prominent [
87]. Cellulose anhydro glucose units of D-glycose are linked through β-1,4-glycosidic bonds [
88]. The ultimate structure-property relationship of cellulosic edible films and coatings is governed by the degree of crystallinity, polymerization, and polymeric chain length [
89]. Having significant importance, the degree of crystallinity of cellulosic fibers embodies toughness, strength, and fiber-fibril characteristics [
90]. Furthermore, the degree of crystallinity and ratio between amorphous to crystalline domains directly impact physico-mechanical, optical, and barrier properties.
In the processing and formation of EF & EC, hydroxyl chemistry is responsible for hydrophilicity, chirality, chemical functionalization, insolubility in most aqueous sol-vents, infusibility, and solvent resistance of cellulose hydrocolloids [
91]. Cellulose is insoluble in water, alkalines, and modifications may alter the solubility of hydrocolloids [
92]. The low film stability and poor oxygen and carbon dioxide barrier are the key challenges with cellulosic hydrocolloids. Therefore, several research approaches have been executed to overcome the challenges of EF & EC from cellulosic and cellulose derivatives, such as modification, introducing functionalization, and composites. Cellulose extraction from high plants involves multistep chemical processing, drawing concerns for EF & EC under GRAS guidelines. Cellulose can be processed into hydrogels that are commercially used as micro cellulose or nanocellulose, which differ from the average fiber dimension of the hydrogel fibres. Nanocellulose from microbial sources is the purest form of cellulose. Hence, ideal for EF & EC. Crystalline nanocellulose, a product of chemical and enzymatic digestion of amorphous regions, has enhanced mechanical and barrier properties resulting from a high degree of crystallinity.
Processing convenience and formulation of cellulose-based edible films and coatings can be improved by modifying cellulose following esterification routes in the presence of chloroacetic acid or methyl chloride or propylene oxide to achieve carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), methylcellulose (MC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPMC) or hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) respectively [
29]. Edible films and coatings prepared from cellulose esters possess properties including odorless and tasteless, flexibility with moderate strength, optical features, repellent resistance to oil and fats, water solubility, moderate moisture and oxygen transmission, controlled release of bioactive, non-toxicity [
93], compatibility with composites and laminates, and efficient membranes and separation [
93,
94]. Cellulose and cellulose derivatives provide strong adhesion between fibre and cellulosic interface, making them ideal for edible films and coating for fruits and vegetables [
94].
Cellulose and its derivatives have been widely investigated as edible films and coatings. For instance, hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) was successfully tested as an edible coating for blueberry [
95]. Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) crosslinked with citric acid for probiotic entrapment in food, including fruits and vegetables [
96]. Functionalized encapsulation is a promising, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly approach to improving the preservation properties of edible food and coatings. Plant based essential oils lemongrass (
Cymbopogon citratus), rosemary pepper (
Lippia sidoides), and basil (
Ocimum gratissimum) encapsulated cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate propionate and cellulose acetate butyrate were investigated for fragrance and air freshening effects of edible films and coatings [
97]. Essential oil incorporated cellulose esters enhance the physico-mechanical properties and plasticizing effects of edible films and coatings. Oils embedded in cellulose ester minimize moisture loss and improve the water and gas barrier [
98,
99]. For example, TEMPO oxidized cellulose esters were developed to enhance the biorefractory of edible films [
100]. Cellulose esters were also substituted with acyl groups with C
2 to C
18 to enhance the water and oxygen barrier properties and hydrophobicity [
101]. The dispersed phase effect of steric acid was studied to improve the water barrier of CMC edible films. It has been concluded that the water vapor transmittance rate (WVTR) significantly dropped with loading more steric acid to CMC [
102]. Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) modified with lipid coating and unmodified composites of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HMC) was investigated for mechanical and barrier characteristics and reported up to 50% increase in mechanical properties and 40% to 50% improvement in water barrier with loading unmodified and modified MCC [
102]. Composite biofilms of wheat gluten and cellulose acetate phthalate have also been tested for better permeability toward water and oxygen [
103]. The preparation of polysaccharide and lipid bilayers is another approach to improve the barrier performance of edible films from cellulose and cellulose derivatives. Here polysaccharides facilitate the film forming, and lipid matrixes act as barriers against moisture transfers [
104]. Edible films from MC, and HPMC, with saturated fatty acids with carbon chains ranging from C
16 and C
18, have been designed with a thin lamination of beeswax at the cellulose-lipid interface to improve moisture barrier properties [
105]. Bilayers of edible films from Corn Zein and MC have been reported for reducing WVTR [
106]. In similar research, corn zein fatty acid was cast onto MC films, and the effect of corn zein-fatty acid concentration on mechanical properties and water vapor permeability of bilayer laminated edible films of cellulose ethers has been studied [
107]. Hydrophobic ethyl cellulose (EC) and hydrophilic carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel were used to design one-way bilayer films as humidity regulators to extend the browning of white button mushrooms [
108].
Edible films of bacterial nanocellulose and konjac glucomannan composites were reported for good blending dispersion and film formation properties due to strong hydrogen bonding between two compatible matrixes [
109]. Similar research has developed edible composites using sago starch and CMC nanoparticles to improve mechanical properties for applications in fruits and vegetables [
110]. Another study has introduced CMC as a reinforcing filler to strengthen the mechanical properties of gelatin edible films [
111]. In addition, antibacterial edible films and coatings cellulose esters were developed by preparing composites with chitosan [
112] and silver nanoparticles [
113]. Moreover, ginger and olive plant oils incorporated bacterial cellulose and CMC composites have been studied as antimicrobial edible coating for orange and tomato [
114]. Cellulose based composites also show excellent.
Carrageenan exists in three forms, kappa carrageenan (κ-carrageenan), iota carrageenan (ι-carrageenan) and lambda carrageenan (λ-carrageenan) [
115]. Edible films and coatings from carrageenan are known for excellent mechanical and barrier properties [
116]. For example, edible films and coatings prepared from iota carrageenan exhibit excellent barrier properties for oxygen and preserving the deterioration and flavor of fruits and vegetables [
117]. However, lambda carrageenan does not form stable gels and has limited use for preparing edible films and coatings [
118]. The double-helical conformation of kappa carrageenan and linear structure form efficient three-dimensional (3-D) gels under standard cationic colloidal conditions. Therefore, widely used for edible films and coatings in food. Carrageenan based films and coatings also help minimize moisture loss, turgor, and oxidation [
119]. Carrageenan based edible coatings show enhanced properties upon ultraviolet treatment on post-harvested longan fruits [
120]. Carrageenan gum has been blended with different starch sources to achieve desired features. For instance, edible films developed from starch/carrageenan displayed improved mechanical and WVTR properties [
121].
Edible films from rice starch and ι-carrageenan plasticized with stearic acids exhibited high physicomechanical and barrier properties with increasing the concentration of carrageenan and low loading of stearic acid [
122]. Following a similar trend, edible composite films prepared from pearl millet starch and carrageenan gum using glycerol as a processing aid, increasing starch educed the water vapor permeability and mechanical properties [
123]. Blends and composites have been used to improve the performances of carrageenan edible films and coatings. For instance, transparent, stable films and coatings prepared from carrageenan and rice starch hybrids displayed enhanced UV protection, oxygen barrier, and hydrophobic characteristics [
124]. Surface properties of iota carrageenan edible films blended with glycerol plasticizer, glycerol monostearate surfactant, and fat showed improved surface properties [
125]. Edible films prepared from κ-carrageenan, ι-carrageenan, and alginate blends have shown improved optical, barrier, and tensile performances [
126]. I-carrageenan and sodium alginate blends exhibited good mechanical characteristics with emulsion stabilizers [
127].
Agar is a heteroglycan with gelling and non-gelling fractions of agarose and agaropectin and is readily soluble in hot aqueous medium [
128,
129]. Gels from agar are known for making thermoreversible gels up to 55 °C – 60 °C having lower viscosity profiles which are ideal for edible films and coatings [
129]. Agar-based edible films and coatings are generally stable and transparent with good mechanical properties [
130]. However, edible films and coatings prepared from pure agar may draw concerns in industrial applications due to brittleness, low elasticity, less thermal stability, relatively medium gas barrier performance, and high-water vapor permeability [
131]. Interestingly, edible films prepared from starch-agar-maltodextrin blends displayed improved barrier properties due to extensive hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic aggregations [
132].
Blended films prepared using binary combinations of agar, cassava starch, and arabinoxylan have reported a decline in mechanical properties at higher loadings of cassava and arabinoxylan, wherein the water barrier significantly improved in agar-arabinoxylan films [
133]. A similar study reported that edible agar films and coatings for fruits and vegetables required an optimum concentration of glycerol plasticizer to achieve good physical and mechanical properties [
134,
135]. Edible films and coatings of agar doped with essential oils exhibited improved mechanical and water barrier properties with antimicrobial and antioxidant activities [
136]. Agar-based composites with nanoparticles and natural active ingredients have also been investigated for improving physiomechanical, thermal, and antioxidant characteristics suited for edible films and coatings [
137].
4.4. Gums
Gums are polysaccharides with a significant molecular weight and are soluble in aqueous systems making hydrocolloids through solvent-polymer hydrogen bonding [
158]. In aqueous systems, polymer/gum molecules form micelles, leading to hydrocolloid formation with high viscosity [
159]. These hydrocolloids can easily be cast into films and coatings, making them suitable for fruit and vegetable packaging. Gum polymers can be homoglycans or heteroglycans with linear or branched structures. Edible films and coatings prepared from gums show excellent mechanical, transparency, tear resistance, and plasticity. Moreover, edible films and coating of plant gums, including gum arabic, guar gum, xantham gum, and basil seeds gums, possess good barrier properties for oxygen, carbon dioxide, and moisture [
160].
Gum arabic is extracted from gummy extrudes of Acacia species [
161]. Gum arabic has a heteroglycan structure with a backbone composed of (1,3)-linked β-d-galactopyranosyl residues, with side chains comprising of 2–5 (1,3)-linked β-d-galactopyranosyl units attached to the primary chain by (1,6) linkages. The primary and side chains of gum arabic also contain other carbohydrate units, including l-arabinose, l-rhamnose, and glucuronic acid [
162]. The composition and related physiochemical properties of gum arabic may vary from source to source. In most cases, gum arabic has been used as a component in blends. Edible films prepared from the blends of gum arabic and chitosan infused with cinnamon essential oil showed improved WVTR performance and low mechanical properties [
163]. Edible coatings of gum arabic/starch for fruits formulated using glycerol and sorbitol as plasticizers exhibited effectiveness against moisture loss by 30%, preserving firmness, facilitating the respiration and delaying the ripening process [
164]. Emulsion-based edible films and coatings of gum acacia showed antioxidant and antimicrobial activity and also contributed to improved inter-molecular interactions [
165]. Grapefruit encapsulated edible films and coatings from emulsion-based seed proteins, and gum acacia displayed enhanced water vapor barrier, surface hydrophobicity, mechanical properties, and thermal stability [
166].
Galactomannans are linear chains made from (1→4)-β-D-mannopyranosyl units with single side chains in a 3:1 ratio of (1→6)-α-D-galactopyranosyl [
167]. Galactomannans form highly viscous water-binding colloidal systems that interact efficiently with the polymers [
168]. Guar gum and tara gum are widely studied galactomannans for preparing edible films and coatings. However, tara gums have poor mechanical and barrier performance and require improvements using plasticizers, including glycerol [
169].
Xanthan gum is an extracellular polysaccharide to prepare highly viscous colloids at low concentrations [
170]. Generally, xanthan gum is used as an additive in edible films and coatings. Guar gum is hydrophilic, linear polymer with β (1 → 4) linkages of D-mannose and single-linked α (1 → 6)-D-galactose [
171]. Guar gum is widely employed in preparing blends with other biopolymers such as starch [
160,
172,
173,
174]. Active packaging blends of guar gum and sago starch infused with carvacrol and citral showed improved mechanical properties and inhibition of Bacillus cereus and E. coli [
175]. Monosaccharides have also been investigated as plasticizers for developing edible films from guar gum and pea starch blends [
176]. Edible films of guar gum and pea starch incorporated with natural antimicrobial agents have demonstrated changes in mechanical and antimicrobial properties following a concentration dependent trend [
177]. For instance, four different natural antioxidants, namely, epigallocatechin gallate, blueberry ash fruit extract, macadamia peel extract, and banana peel extract, were studied with edible films and coatings of guar gum and starch blends [
178].
Basil seed gum is an acidic anionic gum, having a glucomannan (43%) structure with a glucose-to-mannose ratio of 10:2, and (1→4) linked xylan (24.29%) and a minor fraction of glucan (2.31%) [
179]. Basil seed gum has been studied for preparing active edible films and coatings because of their mechanical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. It has been reported that the edible films of basil seed gum infused with oregano essential oils exhibited enhanced physico-mechanical properties [
180].
Moreover, adding glycerol plasticizer into edible films and coatings prepared from basil seed gum hydrocolloids improved physical, mechanical, microstructural, and thermal characteristics [
181]. In addition, edible films from nanoemulsions of Zataria multiflora essential oil incorporated with basil seeds gum displayed high mechanical properties and strong antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria [
182]. Nanoemulsion also delayed the release of volatile compounds [
182].
Gellan gum is a bacterial exopolysaccharide produced from the aerobic fermentation of carbohydrate substrates in bacteria [
183]. Gellan gum has a linear, anionic polymer structure with a degree of polymerization (DP) of about 50,000. The chemical structure of gellan gum comprises of repeating unit of β-d-glucose, l-rhamnose, and d-glucuronic acid and two acyl groups, acetate and glycerate, attached to the glucose residue adjacent to glucuronic acid [
184]. De-esterification of gellan gum makes stronger films and also alters gel texture [
159]. Polymer blends of gellan gum have been widely investigated for developing edible films and coating [
185]. For example, edible films prepared from the blends of gellan gum and aloe vera gel showed improved mechanical properties [
186]. Edible films and coating of gellan gum and Aloe vera blends have been designed for active food packaging [
187]. Moreover, edible films of gellan gum integrated into proteins showed excellent mechanical properties and barrier performance [
188].
4.5. Starch
Starch is a semicrystalline homopolymer with up to 20-40% crystallinity and consists of two major constituents: amylose and amylopectin [
189]. Amylose is a liner polysaccharide structure made up of α-1,4 bonds, while amylopectin is a branched molecule in which the branch points consist of α-1,6 glyosidic bonds [
190]. Co crystallization favors crystallization in amylose into single helixes [
191]. Hydrocolloid properties of starch in edible films and coatings depend on crystallinity, amylopectin ratio, moisture content, molecular mass, degree of branching, and polymeric chain length of the source of origin [
189,
192]. Edible films and coatings prepared from starch shows mechanical, oil, and oxygen barrier properties [
193]. Moreover, modified starch enhances physio-mechanical characteristics of films and coatings and processing processes [
194]. However, due its high hydrophilicity, antioxidant, antimicrobial and other food additive agents are incorporated into the starch matrix.
Starch composites and blends have extensively been investigated for the active packaging of fruits and vegetables. For example, edible coatings were developed using a combination of cassava starch and glycerol, carnauba wax, and stearic acid as plasticizers for fresh cut fruits and vegetables [
195]. Bioactive edible starch films and coatings were formulated using phenolic compounds [
196]. Starch/chitosan blends were studied for antimicrobial properties against lactobacillus spp [
153]. This study demonstrated reduced aerobic mesophilic and psychrophilic cell counts while maintaining pH and weight loss in refrigerated storage, extending product life from 6 days [
153]. The effect of the amylose-to amylopectin ratio of different starch species, wheat, corn, and potato, on the physico-mechanical properties of edible films and coatings has been studied [
197]. Edible films prepared from starch with higher amylose content displayed better mechanical resistance and barrier properties with higher moisture sensitivity due to their hydrophilic nature [
197]. Among many starch sources, wheat starch has the least surface wettability because of low surface hydrophilicity at elevated temperatures [
197].
Sunflower oil added corn starch edible films and coatings demonstrated improvements in mechanical and water barrier properties due to the low crystallinity of starch and microstructural changes with the loading of sunflower oils as a plasticizer [
198]. The combined effect of plasticizers and surfactants on starch-based edible films and coatings was investigated using glycerol, Tween 20, and Spam 80 as plasticizers with soy lecithin as surfactants [
199]. This study confirmed the synergistic contribution of the plasticizer and the surfactants in achieving high mechanical and water barrier properties. Further concluded that high loading of plasticizers led to a decline in mechanical properties and higher WVTR and surfactants contributed to improving mechanical properties in the absence of glycerol [
199]. Transfer properties of glycerol loaded edible starch films were reported, confirming higher diffusivity/ transfer properties for 55% glycerol-loaded edible films over 33% glycerol loaded films [
200]. Moreover, glycerol impacts the water diffusivity, oxygen permeability, and water vapor permeability performances in edible films and coatings. The same trend was observed with the edible film of native wheat prepared from varying concentrations of glycerol (0, 20, 30, 40, and 50,.wt%) [
201]. The lowest WVTR was reported at 30% glycerol loading, but the degree of crystallinity was reduced. With increasing glycerol loading in the starch matrix, stress at break and Young’s modulus decreased, and elongation increased [
201]. Edible films of highly carboxymethylated starch (HCMS) plasticized using sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, and glycerol showed reduced WVTR and decreased solubility with increasing plasticizer concentration [
202,
203,
204]. Edible films and coatings have been developed from non-conventional arrowroot starch using the casting method prepared for plum packaging [
205]. Results displayed an increase in WVP from 2.20 to 3.68 g mm/m2 day kPa, moisture content from 3.22% to 7.95% and a decrease in solubility in water from 22.45% to 13.89%, delivering extended post-harvesting preservation upto 35 days [
205]. Furthermore, these edible films and coatings exhibited good film-forming ability with homogeneous, transparent and manageable appearances. The 2% coating indicated well adhesion, successfully minimizing moisture loss and controlling respiration rate [
205]. A study on rheological properties of corn starch methylcellulose and glycerol edible films and coating exhibited high total viscoelastic recovery at a high shear rate, just like entangled polymer dispersions, due to the interactions of topological entanglements and dispersion stability [
206].