Kappa-carrageenan-poly(vinyl alcohol) electrospun fiber mats encapsulated with Prunus domestica anthocyanins and epigallocatechin gallate to monitor the freshness and enhance the shelf-life quality of minced beef meat

Abstract

The current study was conducted with the aim of fabricating k-carrageenan-poly(vinyl alcohol) (KC-PVA) electrospun fiber mats containing Prunus domestica extract (PDE; 3%) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG; 5 and 10 µg/ml) to monitor the spoilage and enhance the shelf-life quality of raw minced beef meat during prolonged chilled storage. The anthocyanin-rich electrospun fibers displayed color change when subjected to the different pH buffer solutions as follows: pH 1 = light pink; pH 2-5 = red; pH 6-8 = purplish-red; pH 9-10 = green; and pH 11-12 = brown. By incorporating PDE and PDE + EGCG into the KC-PVA electrospun fibers, tensile strength, water vapor permeability, moisture content, and water solubility decreased significantly, while thickness and elongation at break increased significantly compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Among different treatments, the lowest microbial and chemical changes and the highest sensory scores were found in the minced beef meat packaged with KC-PVA-EGCG 5 µg/ml-PDE 3% and KC-PVA-EGCG 10 µg/ml-PDE 3% electrospun fibers. At the end of the study (day 15), the total viable count, pH, and total volatile basic nitrogen of samples packaged with KC-PVA-PDE 3% electrospun fibers reached 7.21 log CFU/g, 6.63, and 28.07 mg N/100 g, respectively. In this group, the color of the electrospun fiber mats changed from white to purplish-red. Our findings indicate that the fabricated electrospun fibers with antimicrobial and antioxidant activities can be utilized as a smart packaging material for minced beef meat during refrigerated storage.