Edible films and coatings offer great potential to support sustainable food production by lowering packaging waste, extending product shelf life, and actively preserving food quality. Using edible coatings containing plant extracts with antioxidant and antibacterial characteristics could help to enhance the quality and shelf life of fish products. In this study, the combination effect of chitosan with beetroot, curcumin, and garlic extracts on biogenic amines (BAs) reduction, biochemical quality [pH, thiobarbituric acid index (TBA), trimethylamine (TMA), and total volatile base (TVB)], shelf life and sensory characteristics of tuna filets was investigated over 14 days of refrigerated storage compared to control (uncoated) samples. The results showed that the coated samples experienced a lower increase in BAs levels than the control samples. Among the treated samples, chitosan incorporated with curcumin (CH-C) showed the highest reduction in BAs formation (1.45 – 19.33, 0.81 – 4.45, and 1.04 – 8.14 mg/kg), followed by chitosan with garlic (CH-G) (1.54 – 21.74, 0.83 – 5.77, and 1.08 – 8.84 mg/kg), chitosan with beetroot extract (CH-B) (1.56 – 31.70, 0.84 – 6.79, and 1.07 – 10.82 mg/kg), and chitosan without extract addition (CH) (1.62 – 33.83, 0.71 – 7.82 and 1.12 – 12.66 mg/kg) compared to control samples (1.62 – 59.45, 0.80 – 11.96, and 1.14 – 20.34 mg/kg) for histamine, cadaverine, and putrescine, respectively. In addition, the rate of increase in pH, TBA, TMA, and TVB of all coated treatments was lower than in the control samples. Sensory evaluation results revealed that chitosan-treated samples incorporated with beetroot, garlic, and curcumin extracts showed good quality and acceptability characteristics. Overall, chitosan edible coatings incorporated with beetroot, garlic, and curcumin extracts reduced the formation of biogenic amine, delayed biochemical deterioration, and extended the shelf life of tuna filets. Among the treated samples, CH-C demonstrated a remarkable superiority in all the studied parameters. Therefore, this study provides a promising strategy for the incorporation of active compounds in edible coatings to improve the quality and safety of foods during storage.

No abstract

Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) bacteria is generally recognized as safe and widely used in the food industry. The current study aimed to study the antimicrobial effects of L. plantarum against some food poisoning microorganisms, such as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), and Escherichia coli (E. coli) in oriental fermented chicken sausage for 18 days of storage at 4ᵒC. The L. plantarum has broad-spectrum antimicrobial effects that enhance the quality and safety of food products. L. plantarum reduced the count of S. aureus, B. cerus, and E. coli to 1.54, 4.26, and 3.03 Log10, respectively, after 18 days of refrigerated storage. Moreover, there were significant effects of L. plantarum on pH, thiobarbituric acid, total volatile basic nitrogen, and sensory attributes of fermented sausage samples during storage time. It was revealed that L. plantarum enhanced the physic-chemical, sensory attributes, and shelf life of fermented chicken sausage. Moreover, L. plantarum inhibited the inoculated food poisoning bacteria in fermented chicken sausage. In conclusion, it is recommended to use L. plantarum in fermented meat products as a starter and a bio-preservative to enhance the quality of the fermented chicken sausage.

Food safety is the major issue in the food industry. Curcumin is a natural antimicrobial that has nutritional and health benefits. Nanotechnology can improve its bioavailability and application in food. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of nano-curcumin on some food poisoning bacteria, especially those of zoonotic importance, such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus, in vitro and inoculated in chilled chicken kofta. Nano-curcumin showed antimicrobial effects on the microbes under study in vitro, which were confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).The microbiological quality and physicochemical and sensory attributes of chilled chicken kofta was evaluated at 4°C for 27 days. Nano-curcumin reduced the count of E. coli from 5.73 to 1.09 log cfu/g, the count of S. aureus from 5.73 to 1.02 log cfu/g, and the count of B. cereus count from 5.87 to 3.13 log cfu/g. Nano-curcumin increased PH, TBA and TVB-N values over the storage period. Moreover, it enhanced the sensory attributes and shelf life of chicken kofta until the 27th day of storage. Nano-curcumin is considered a novel antimicrobial and antioxidant agent for meat products.