Packaging Design Using Mustard Seeds as a Natural Antimicrobial: A Study on Inhibition of Pseudomonas fragi in Liquid Medium.

Nur Alim Bahmid,Jenneke Heising,Matthijs Dekker,Vincenzo Fogliano

doi:10.3390/foods9060789

Nur Alim Bahmid, Jenneke Heising + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9060789

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Abstract

Pseudomonas fragi is the dominant spoilage organism in various foods, especially in spoiled milk, fish, and meats. Its growth can be inhibited by releasing allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) from ground mustard seeds in food packages. This paper aims to investigate the antimicrobial potential of ground mustard seeds against P. fragi growth and the effectiveness of released AITC concentration from mustard seeds on microbial inhibition of the spoilage bacteria growing in the liquid medium. The AITC concentration in the headspace and the liquid medium was measured and the growth of P. fragi in the liquid medium was monitored. Depending on the concentration of AITC, not only growth was inhibited but a reduction of the total count of P. fragi was even observed. The inactivation rate (k) of P. fragi was estimated using first-order inactivation kinetics and the minimum gaseous-released AITC to inactivate P. fragi was determined. Higher AITC concentration in the headspace and liquid medium was observed when using a higher amount of ground mustard seeds and a lower food to headspace ratio. Increasing the amount of ground mustard seeds (>100 mg per 10 mL liquid medium) led to full inactivation of P. fragi in 48 hours. By using an inhibition sigmoid Emax model, the minimum gaseous-released AITC for inactivation of P. fragi in 48 hours was observed around 15 µg/L headspace. These results indicate that inhibition of the spoilage bacteria and extending the shelf life using ground mustard seeds is only possible by applying a careful design of the packaging system.

Highlights

Considerable amounts of fresh food are lost during processing, storage, and distribution due to spoilage in the supply chain
The aim of this study was to explore the antimicrobial potential of ground mustard seeds and the effectiveness of released allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) concentration from mustard seeds on microbial inhibition of P. fragi growing in the liquid medium
The concentration of AITC in the headspace and the liquid medium is dependent on the amount of ground mustard seeds added into the packaging system; more ground seeds released more AITC in the headspace and liquid medium

Summary

Introduction

Considerable amounts of fresh food are lost during processing, storage, and distribution due to spoilage in the supply chain. Spoilage bacteria can quickly grow at food surfaces [1] and cause off-odors and off-tastes so the deteriorated food is considered to be unacceptable to consumers from a sensory point of view, and wasted. This wasted food could be minimized by modifying packaging that either extends the food shelf life or helps customers to decrease food waste [2]. Antimicrobial packaging concepts are currently being developed for extension of food product shelf life. These antimicrobial packages are able to release antimicrobial agents, which might inactivate and/or prevent the growth of spoilage bacteria on the food products

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