Edible CBD Coating Could Be Secret To Keeping Fruit Fresher For Longer

Chowing down on regular servings of fruits and vegetables is essential to a healthy life, as dieticians have proclaimed for decades. But there are many times when the apples bought at the store go bad before we’ve had the chance to eat them.

As such, researchers from the Thammasat University and Chulabhorn Research Institute in Thailand have set out to rectify this problem by developing an invisible, edible coating that can be sprayed on fickle produce to keep them fresh for longer.

This isn’t the first time scientists have attempted to slow the rate of fruits turning bad. Previously, other teams have some up with a plant-based, spray-on coating that could replace plastic wrap and an innovative packaging that could extend the shelf life of pasta.

This time, the Thai researchers turned to cannabidiol (CBD), the non-hallucinogenic compound found in cannabis. The substance has gained popularity in recent years for being used to treat pain problems, anxiety, or even boost relaxation.

Turns out, apart from all of that, CBD boasts signs of antimicrobial activity, which allows it to form a protective layer over the fruit. By combining it with biodegradable polymers and mixing in water and sodium alginate, a gel-like solution was formed.

During the experiment, scientists found that the strawberries coated in the CBD-gel decayed far less when placed in open plastic containers at refrigerator temperatures over two weeks. Coatings with higher CBD performed better as well.

Could this be the new secret to keeping fresh produce from turning bad? Hopefully the solution can be scaled, so the planet can reduce the amount of food that gets wasted each day.

[via New Atlas and Science Daily, images via various sources]