The Effect of Electrospun Polycaprolactone Nonwovens Containing Chitosan and Propolis Extracts on Fresh Pork Packaged in Linear Low-Density Polyethylene Films.

Emeli Vargas Romero,Héctor Suárez Mahecha,Loong-Tak Lim,Benjamin M Bohrer

doi:10.3390/foods10051110

Abstract

Fresh meat products are highly perishable and require optimal packaging conditions to maintain and potentially extend shelf-life. Recently, researchers have developed functional, active packaging systems that are capable of interacting with food products, package headspace, and/or the environment to enhance product shelf-life. Among these systems, antimicrobial/antioxidant active packaging has gained considerable interest for delaying/preventing microbial growth and deteriorative oxidation reactions. This study evaluated the effectiveness of active linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) films coated with a polycaprolactone/chitosan nonwoven (Film 1) or LLDPE films coated with a polycaprolactone/chitosan nonwoven fortified with Colombian propolis extract (Film 2). The active LLDPE films were evaluated for the preservation of fresh pork loin (longissimus dorsi) chops during refrigerated storage at 4 °C for up to 20 d. The meat samples were analyzed for pH, instrumental color, purge loss, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and microbial stability (aerobic mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria). The incorporation of the propolis-containing nonwoven layer provided antioxidant and antimicrobial properties to LLDPE film, as evidenced by improved color stability, no differences in lipid oxidation, and a delay of 4 d for the onset of bacteria growth of pork chops during the refrigerated storage period.

Highlights

Published: 17 May 2021Fresh meat is highly perishable and requires optimal processing, packaging, and storage systems
1 Treatments included the following: CON—a commercial linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) film without a functional nonwoven component; Film 1—a commercial LLDPE film coated with a polycaprolactone/chitosan nonwoven; Film 2—commercial LLDPE film coated with a polycaprolactone/chitosan nonwoven fortified with Colombian propolis extract (PE)
Treatments included the following: CON—a commercial linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) film without a functional nonwoven component; Film 1—a commercial LLDPE film coated with a polycaprolactone/chitosan nonwoven; Film 2—commercial LLDPE film coated with a polycaprolactone/chitosan nonwoven fortified with Colombian propolis extract. ab Different letters indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) for the main effect of storage day for each respective treatment when a significant difference was detected

Summary

Introduction

Published: 17 May 2021Fresh meat is highly perishable and requires optimal processing, packaging, and storage systems. Researchers have developed active packaging systems that are capable of interacting with the food product, package headspace, and/or the environment to enhance product shelf-life [4,5,6,7,8,9,10] Among these systems, antimicrobial active packaging has gained considerable interest for delaying/preventing microbial growth in the product via controlled delivery of antimicrobial agents from the package structure or add-on carrier components (e.g., label, sachet, insert) [4,11,12,13]. Antimicrobial active packaging has gained considerable interest for delaying/preventing microbial growth in the product via controlled delivery of antimicrobial agents from the package structure or add-on carrier components (e.g., label, sachet, insert) [4,11,12,13] By virtue of their large surface area, electrospun nonwoven fibers

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