Despite the growth of fruit production, the challenge of postharvest fruit loss particularly in tropical and subtropical fruits due to spoilage, decay, and natural deterioration remains a critical issue, impacting the global food supply chain by reducing both the quantity and quality of fruits postharvest. Edible coatings have emerged as a sustainable solution to extending the shelf life of fruits and decreasing postharvest losses. The precise composition and application of these coatings are crucial in determining their effectiveness in preventing microbial growth and preserving the sensory attributes of fruits. Furthermore, the integration of nanotechnology into edible coatings has the potential to enhance their functionalities, including improved barrier properties, the controlled release of active substances, and increased antimicrobial capabilities. Recent advancements highlighting the impact of edible coatings are underscored in this review, showcasing how they help in prolonging shelf life, preserving quality, and minimizing postharvest losses of subtropical fresh fruits worldwide. The utilization of edible coatings presents challenges in terms of production, storage, and large-scale application, all while ensuring consumer acceptance, food safety, nutritional value, and extended shelf life. Edible coatings based on polysaccharides and proteins encounter difficulties due to inadequate water and gas barrier properties, necessitating the incorporation of plasticizers, emulsifiers, and other additives to enhance their mechanical and thermal durability. Moreover, high levels of biopolymers and active components like essential oils and plant extracts could potentially impact the taste of the produce, directly influencing consumer satisfaction. Therefore, ongoing research and innovation in this field show great potential for reducing postharvest losses and strengthening food security. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in the application of edible coatings and their influence on extending the postharvest longevity of main subtropical fruits, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the quality of fresh and fresh-cut subtropical fruits, prolonging their shelf life, and protecting them from deterioration through innovative techniques.

The production of ornamental flowers in the horticultural sector is costly; therefore, finding treatments to reduce postharvest losses and extend the vase life of cut flower is essential in this industry. The influence of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the quality parameters of cut flowers of Narcissus tazetta L. ‘Shahla’ during storage was investigated. The following gas compositions were studied: atmospheric composition (control), vacuum + atmospheric composition, 40% CO₂ + 21% O₂, 20% CO₂ + 10% O₂, 40% CO₂ + 40% O₂, and 0.03% CO₂ + 40% O₂. All treatments showed better performance compared to the control. The results showed that 20% CO₂ + 10% O₂ most increased the water uptake and relative fresh weight of cut flowers, resulting in the highest level of carbohydrates, extending the appearance quality time and vase life of cut flowers by 60%. The most extended vase life was related to cut flowers stored at 20% CO₂ and 10% O₂ (15.8 days), while the passive-MAP and vacuum packaging did not differ significantly and showed the lowest vase life, 9.2 and 9.9 days, respectively.