Researchers developed a natural, edible coating for cheese made from whey protein and melanin pigment that prevents spoilage better than commercial coatings. The coating contains melanin, which gives the cheese a natural brown color that consumers prefer, along with natural antimicrobial agents nisin and natamycin. After 40 days of cheese aging, the new melanin coating showed superior protection against harmful bacteria compared to synthetic commercial coatings while being completely edible and requiring no peeling.