In this study, edible coating emulsions (ECEs) based on two types of food-grade cellulose with different ionic properties (anionic CMC and non-ionic HPMC) and different CEO concentrations were formulated, characterized, and applied as active edible coatings on kiwifruit during 21 days of storage at room temperature. The DLS analysis confirmed good dispersion and stability of the ECEs, while FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TGA evidenced strong biopolymer-oil interactions and improved thermal resistance. Antibacterial activities were notable, with inhi bition zones of 26 ± 3.11 mm for CMC1.5% and 26 ± 2.72 mm for HPMC1.5% against Staphylococcus aureus, and 30 ± 3.25 and 17 ± 2.15 mm against Serratia marcescens, respectively, with significant improvements (p < 0.05) at higher component concentrations. Kiwifruits coated with the most effective formulation (HMPC1.5%) exhibited significantly improved quality attributes, with the lowest weight loss (9.20 %), highest firmness (1.55 kg.cm- 2), TA (1.50 %), and TPC (52 mg GAE g- 1), along with reduced decay incidence (10 %) compared to the control kiwifruits (p < 0.05). Sensory results also showed superior scores and better overall acceptability of HPMC1.5%- coated fruits.
