Comparative Assessment of Bio-surfactants for Potential Application in Antifungal Edible Coating

The use of edible coatings has achieved increasing attention as an eco-friendly and health-conscious method for enhancing the shelf life and quality of food products. Biosurfactants are amphiphilic compounds produced by microorganisms. These compounds possess both hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties, allowing them to interact with both polar and nonpolar substances.

This study investigated the antifungal efficacy of rhamnolipid, sophorolipid and surfactin coatings with synergistic potential Aloe vera gel against Botrydiplodia theobromae. In present study, petri plates were supplemented with different biosurfactants at varying concentrations with Aloe vera gel used to control the B. theobromae.

The solutions of rhamnolipid, sophorolipid and surfactin (50 mg/L), Aloe vera gel (25%) and synergistic effect of rhamnolipid, sophorolipid and surfactin (10 mg/L) with aloe vera gel (25%) were evaluated for their biocontrol activity on B. theobromae and found that rhamnolipid alone showed comparatively low antifungal activity while rhamnolipid with aloe vera showed high antifungal activity with lower rhamnolipid concentration. The results indicated that a combination of rhamnolipid and aloe vera gel exhibited the highest antifungal activity against B. theobromae without significant phytotoxicity or cytotoxicity. It was observed that the biosurfactants cause rupture of mycelia as its evident from the microscopy. These findings suggest that rhamnolipid-based edible coatings could serve as a promising alternative to chemical fungicides for the management of post-harvest losses.