Development and Application of an Edible Coating from Avocado Seed Starch (Persea americana Mill.) and Vetiver Root Extract (Vetiveria zizanioides L.) for Food Quality Preservation

The increasing use of non-degradable plastic packaging has raised serious environmental concerns, highlighting the need for biodegradable alternatives such as starch-based edible coatings. Avocado seed starch (Persea americana Mill.) represents a promising renewable raw material; however, starch-based coatings suffer from poor water resistance and susceptibility to microbial growth. Therefore, Vetiveria zizanioides L. was incorporated as a natural antimicrobial agent. This study contributed to characterize the physical properties of the edible coating and evaluate its performance when applied to strawberries and dodol. The methods included starch and extract preparation, coating formulation, physical characterization, and application tests. The edible coatings were fabricated using avocado seed starch with vetiver root extract at concentrations of 0%, 3%, 5%, and 7%. Subsequently, characterization tests were conducted, including thickness, solubility, and elasticity tests, as well as an application test on food products, which are strawberries and dodol. The results indicate that the edible coating containing 7% vetiver root extract had the highest film thickness and solubility, while the 5% vetiver root extract had the highest elasticity. Moreover, the application test of an edible coating containing 7% vetiver root extract on strawberries showed the highest effectiveness in preserving the physical condition for up to 7 days, while the application test on dodol showed the highest effectiveness in preserving the physical condition for up to 7 weeks. These findings indicate the potential of an edible coating made from avocado seed starch and vetiver root extract as an environmentally friendly food coating to preserve the quality of food products.