Minimally processed bulb garlic has a short shelf-life, mainly due to fungi growth. Peeling away the outer layers of the garlic makes it more susceptible to the external factors that deteriorate the product. This study evaluated the effect of antimicrobial edible coatings produced from cassava starch, glycerol and chitosan on bulb garlic conservation. The coated product was analyzed for mass loss, color alterations and psychrotrophic, fungi and yeast counting. Coating treatments showed no significant differences (p < 0.05) for mass loss and color alterations. Garlic bulbs coated with edible coating containing chitosan showed fungi and yeast counting lower than 105 CFU.g -1, during 15 days of storage at 10 °C. Among hurdle technologies, antimicrobial edible coating is a potential technology to improve food safety for bulb garlic and extend its shelf-life.
active packing; antimicrobial coating; chitosan
