Food preservatives are commonly used to guarantee the safety and quality of food. Naturally-derived preservatives are preferred by the consumers as chemical preservatives are associated with adverse side effects. The application of naringenin as a food preservative is restricted due to its high volatility, albeit known for its good efficacy in inhibiting microbial growth on food. Thus, this study aimed to synthesis and characterise naringenin-grafted PVA (Na/PVA) nanoparticles as potential meat preservative. The nano-size of naringenin was characterised by transmission electron microscopy. Finally, the antibacterial efficiency of Na/PVA nanoparticles substance was evaluated on disc diffusion assay, broth microdilution assay and using fresh beef as food model. The naringenin nanoparticles appeared in globule and smooth structure, with an average size of less than 200 nm. In total, 11.08% of naringenin nanoparticles was successfully encapsulated into PVA nanoparticles. Based on Fourier transform infrared spectra, naringenin was successfully encapsulated into PVA nanoparticles. The release of naringenin from Na/PVA nanoparticles was slow and gradual, with an initial burst release effect observed. The property was ideal for application in food model. It gained a plateau at 48 h. The Na/PVA nanoparticles depicted its antibacterial efficiency on all the test foodborne bacteria, except E. coli. It was represented by the presence of inhibition zones, which were ranged from 10 mm to 14 mm. The activity was concentration-dependent, and a higher concentration of nanoparticles was needed to kill the test bacteria. The meat coated with Na/PVA nanoparticles displayed a 100% reduction in bacterial load, where no bacterial growth was detected at the sample throughout the incubation period. The coating of nanoparticles also improved the organoleptic property of fresh beef, by maintain the meat colour. The developed nanoparticles can be potentially used nano-preservative to maintain the microbiological quality of fresh beef.