Excellent article about a possible future alternative to sulfur dioxide and other synthetic food preservatives. There are two pages to the article! The article is dated 2005. Does anyone know how many years it takes for research like this to be approved?

Gel form of Aloe vera extract is known for its therapeutic effect on burned or irritated skin. Looks like there is more to it than just cosmetology applications. The gel could be taken as a healthful additive to fruits and vegetables in the future.

A new form has been recently developed by researchers that can be used as an edible coating to prolong the quality and safety of fresh produce. The gel does not appear to affect food taste or appearance and shows promise as a safe, natural and environmentally-friendly alternative to conventional synthetic preservatives that are currently applied to produce after harvesting. [Read on...]

Interesting! I have Aloe plants in my yard.

This is great information, but have no idea how long it takes to approve. Hope it is soon, I don't know about you, but I want my fruit to last longer with healthier benefits as well.