Aloe Vera Clinical Study

Gel from the tropical plant Aloe vera works as a safe, natural food coating.

Aloe Vera May Provide Fresher Tasting and Safer Produce.

25 September 2005

Aloe vera, known for its cooling effect on sunburned skin, could become a healthy addition to common fruits and vegetables. Researchers in Spain have developed a gel from the tropical plant that can be used as an environmentally-friendly coating for fresh produce. The study will appear in the October 5 issue of the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

This is the first study to create an edible produce coating, according to study leader Daniel Valero of the University of Miguel Hernández in Alicante, Spain. The gel, which does not affect food taste or appearance, is a safe, natural alternative to synthetic preservatives.

Over a five-week period, Valero and his colleagues stored both gel-covered grapes and untreated grapes under low temperature. The untreated grapes deteriorated within seven days, while the gel-coated grapes were well-preserved for about 35 days under the same experimental conditions. The gel-treated grapes were firmer, larger, and had less color change than the untreated grapes – characteristics of a fresher fruit. A panel of ten people evaluated the quality of both the untreated and the gel-treated grapes: they found the gel-treated grapes to be generally better-tasting.

Researchers believe that Aloe vera gel works through a combination of mechanisms. Composed mostly of polysaccharides, the gel acts as a natural barrier to moisture and oxygen. Aloe vera also appears to contain various antibiotic compounds that can inhibit bacteria, increasing food safety.

The health effects of Aloe vera gel on human consumption were not determined in the study, but researchers believe it to be safe. Aloe gel has been used as an ingredient in some foods and drinks for years. In addition to grapes, the gel can be applied to other fruits and vegetables. Further testing of the gel on other types of produce is anticipated.

Valero estimates that the Aloe vera gel could appear on the United States consumer market within a year, especially since it is a natural product and unlikely to face FDA restrictions.

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