RESUMO
Cryostructured gels, better known as cryogels, are a very important emerging class of biomaterials that have diverse applications in food preservation. This work shows a novel alternative to prepare a cryostructured composite coating made from a blend of xanthan, bovine collagen, and oregano essential oil. The composite coating was suitably applied onto the surface of preservative-free biscuits which were stored for 15 days at 25 ± 2°C and 52% ± 1% relative humidity. The evaluation focused mainly on the changes in the physicochemical, textural, and microbiological characteristics of the biscuits. It was found that the coated samples significantly (p < 0.05) decreased moisture absorption, water activity, and fungal growth. However, the composite coating minimally impacted the quality of biscuits in terms of color, texture profile, and surface microstructure. Overall, the cryostructured composite coating constitutes an advance in technological strategies aimed at the preservation of baked products. This will allow, in the future, the development of novel coatings on bakery products to generate new trends in the conservation of their properties and extension of shelf life. This could be achieved through the implementation of new technologies in the food industry, with the aim of making them more environmentally friendly and contributing to the generation of less plastic waste. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The study and application of cryogels, as innovative systems in the food industry, allow to expand and diversify the materials that can function as coatings to maintain some quality characteristics, in this case in bakery products, so it is important to analyze their effects and consider them to improve conservation processes.