A novel approach for authentication of shellac resin in the shellac-based edible coatings: Contain shellac or not in the fruit wax preservative coating

•A novel approach based on targeted metabolomics for the authentication of shellac resin in shellac-based coating solution was established for the first time.•The authentication of shellac resin was skillfully transformed by means of taking monomer compounds constituting shellac resin (fatty acids and terpenic acids) as targeted metabolites.•The feasibility of the authenticated approach of shellac resin in commercial coating solution products for fruit preservation was verified by taking common metabolites as the biomarkers.