the use of edible coatings for preserving cheese

food packaging is inseparable step of the process, storage, distribution and marketing of the product. proper packaging increases the shelf life of food; for this reason that is one of the main characteristics in the food industry. one of the new concepts in food packaging is bio packaging, that is developed to respond to the needs of consumers and food products with higher durability. using edible coatings and films as bio packagings, has received public acceptance in food products. one of the food products that mostly encounters packaging problems is cheese and the most important problem that affects the cheese quality and shelf-life is mold growth on the surface due to contamination during the transportation and packaging of the product after the process. fungal growth on dairy products not only causes economical losses but also results in health problems owing to mycotoxin production. antimicrobial agents can be applied for controlling microbial growth by dipping, spraying, or brushing it on food surface. however, the direct application of these techniques is laborious and has limited benefits. a recent method proposed to maintain food safety and to extend the shelf life of foods is the incorporation of natural antimicrobial agents into the bio-based packaging materials. although many researches have been done about addition of antimicrobials to cheese, their application in edible films using in preservation of cheese has little progress.