Cellulose‐Based Transparent Edible Antibacterial Oxygen‐Barrier Coating for Long‐Term Fruit Preservation

Abstract Long‐term preservation of fresh fruit and vegetables without a cold chain is a great challenge to food security because fruits and vegetables are highly vulnerable to poor storage conditions. Fruit spoilage is a complex biochemical process that involves many factors, including microbial reproduction, oxidation, metabolism, and H ₂ O evaporation. Only the synergy of the multiple spoilage inhibition methods can achieve long‐term freshness preservation. Herein, a multifunctional cellulose‐based preservation coating with antibacterial, oxygen/water vapor barrier, and antioxidant properties is proposed, which is based on cellulose microgel (CMG) and prepared using multi‐component composites with montmorillonite (MMT), cationic cellulose derivative (Cell‐P ⁺ ), and L‐ascorbic acid (Vc). It has good wetting properties on fruits with different surfaces. This method can successfully preserve the long‐term freshness of various fruits. This highly transparent, edible, and washable multifunctional cellulose‐based fruit preservation coating can improve the quality of agricultural products, extend the shelf life of food, and reduce the cost of cold‐chain transportation.