Effect of Chitosan Coating Enriched with 6-gingerol on Red Drum Fillets Quality and Shelf Life during Refrigerated Storage

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe effect of chitosan coating enriched with 6-gingerol on the quality and shelf life of red drum fillets during refrigerated storage was investigated in this study. Samples were applied with chitosan coating (CH), 6-gingerol (GI), and chitosan coating with 6-gingerol (CH+GI) before storing at 4°C for 20 days. The data in this study showed that treatment with CH+GI could significantly decrease pH value, K-value, thiobarbituric acid value, and total volatile basic nitrogen in red drum fillets during refrigerated storage. The counts of microorganisms, such as Enterobacteriaceae, psychrotrophic, mesophilic bacteria, and lactic acid bacteria, were also significantly lower in the CH+GI group compared with those in the CH and GI groups. Moreover, the combination of chitosan coating and 6-gingerol was more effective in relieving the deterioration of tissue texture and sensory characteristics in the red drum fillets. In addition, the results suggested that chitosan coating and 6-gingerol had a synergistic effect on the quality improvement of red drum fillets. This work demonstrates that chitosan coating enriched with 6-gingerol may be a promising natural preservative for red drum during refrigerated storage.