COVICOAT

COVICOAT aims to develop an edible antiviral coating for fresh fruits and vegetables and assess its performance in a real scenario

2020

As part of the EIT’s Crisis Response Initiative, this activity directly contributes to the European Union’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The aim of the COVICOAT project was to develop an edible coating containing active herbal extracts which act as an antiviral coating for fruits and vegetables, thereby preventing SARS-CoV-2 contamination. As well as development, the project also involved assessing the coating’s performance, including how it may change the taste, smell and colour of food to ensure its acceptability in the consumer market and verify whether the coating can act as a barrier against viruses and bacteria.

Project update

COVICOAT enabled the development of an edible coating formulation based on food grade hydrocolloids. The consortium successfully assessed the performance for extending the shelf life and preventing SARS-CoV-2 contamination of the coating formulation in tomatoes and pears, as well as the consumer acceptance of the coat formulation on fruits and vegetables.