Antibacterial κ-carrageenan/konjac glucomannan-based edible hydrogel film containing Salmonella phage PBSE191 and its application in chicken meat

Abstract

With the global transition toward carbon neutrality, zero-waste strategy, and with the emergence of bacteriophages as ubiquitous antibiotic substitutes, we developed natural polymer-based hydrogel films characterized by sustainability and biodegradability as alternative green food packaging materials. We characterized the κ-carrageenan and konjac glucomannan-based hydrogel film containing Salmonella Enteritidis phage PBSE191. Mechanical property analysis revealed that the KC/KGM-based hydrogel with a ratio of 7:3 showed the highest compressive strength at a 70% compression ratio. Comparison according to plasticizer type in the film showed that 40% (w/w, based on solute weight) sorbitol-containing hydrogel film showed the highest tensile strength of 43.89 ± 2.49 MPa. When the phage solution was reabsorbed on CGHS40, the tensile strength and water swelling ratio significantly increased, whereas water solubility and water vapor permeability significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The phage-absorbed film had an overall smooth and layered morphology, and reabsorption did not change the chemical structures of CGHS40. The phage-absorbed CGHS40 film on the raw chicken meat surface elicited a significant Salmonella-killing effect within 3 h at 25 °C and 48 h at 5 °C. Therefore, we demonstrated that the PBSE191 phage-loaded CGHS40 film is a highly potential eco-friendly antibacterial food packaging for enhancing food safety against Salmonella contamination.