If you go to Portugal in the next European summer, you will be able to consume coconut water as if you were in Brazil. About 500,000 units of Brazilian green coconut will start reaching the country in June, thanks to an edicle coating developed by Embrapa Food Technology which can extend the shelf life of the product in up to four times. The use of this technology keeps the nutritional characteristics of the fresh coconut and the water within without changing their color or flavor; in response to a demanding consuming market. The dwarf green variety of coconuts, which started to be exported to Europe, are produced in the Fruit Farming Cluster in Petrolina, PE, in the São Francisco river valley. The entrepreneur Edivânio Domingos, from the Coco do Vale Farm, had been searching for years for a technology that kept the quality of fresh green coconuts while increasing their shelf life, which normally lasts around ten days. He found the solution Embrapa developed after a decade of research, which keeps the product conserved for longer: a film that protects the fruit. The fruit coating can even be ingested with no risk to human health. “The coating works as a physical barrier and reduces the fruit metabolism by decreasing respiration, enzymatic activity, and the degradation of sugars, minerals and vitamins, while maintaining sensorial characteristics and ensuring the microbiological quality of the fruit and of the water, that is, conserving it for longer”, reports Josane Resende, a professor from the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), who conducted the pioneering study in 2007 while advised by the researchers Antonio Gomes Embrapa Food Technology, and Neide Bottel, from Embrapa Vegetables. Coconut shelf life surpassed 40 days “This Embrapa technology is spectacular, because it is low cost and requires little manpower. There are only three stages: cleaning, immersion in the film solution, and drying. Thus, we can extend the shelft life of green coconut to over 40 days, making it possible to export it to European countries such as Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands”, Domingos states. In order to obtain this result, he also followed Embrapa Food Technology's technical guidelines on the best way to store the fruits, and on regulating the temperature, humidity and ventilation of containers in the export process. During the European summer, the businessman can sell the coconut unit for ten times the price practiced in Brazil in the same period, where it is winter. The Brazilian market has also demonstrated interest in fresh coated green coconut, due to its high added value. The product has already started to be sold to São Paulo and other Brazilian states. Film can be applied on different fruits During the application of the technology, the fruits are cleaned and then immersed in a filmogenic solution based on polysaccharides and other composites, which contribute to reducing microbial activity and maintaining nutricional value. After the coating is dry, the product is ready to be packed and stored for export or trade in the national market. The composition of the filmogenic solution can vary according to the physiological characteristics of the fruit, and it does not cause changes to color or flavor. “The coating can be used in different fruits, such as coconuts, melons, papayas, mangoes, watermelons and guavas. It is a simple technology that farmers themselves can apply in their property”, reveals Antonio Gomes, a researcher from Embrapa Food Technology. His team and him conduct courses, training, lectures and consultancy about post-harvest practices and technologies, including the fruit packaging one. Fourth top world producer According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/UN), Brazil is the fourth largest producer of green coconut in the world, reaching nearly two billion units a year. Production is concentrated in the coastal region of the country, in the states of Bahia, Sergipe and Ceará. The highest productivity recorded is in the region of the São Francisco Valley, in the backlands of Pernambuco state, with irrigated culture and intensive use of technology. Biodegradable edible packaging For over twenty years, the post-harvest team of Embrapa Food Technology has conducted research with the aim of increasing shelf life and reducing food loss. The studies about biodegradable and edible fruit coating started about ten years ago. Translation: Mariana Medeiros