Antimicrobial activity of bioactive starch packaging films against Listeria monocytogenes and reconstituted meat microbiota on ham

Unveiling the Future of Meat Packaging: Functional Biodegradable Packaging Preserving Meat Quality and Safety

Meat quality and shelf life are important parameters affecting consumer perception and safety. Several factors contribute to the deterioration and spoilage of meat products, including microbial growth, chemical reactions in the food's constituents, protein denaturation, lipid oxidation, and discoloration. This study reviewed the development of functional packaging biomaterials that interact with food and the environment to improve food's sensory properties and consumer safety. Bioactive packaging incorporates additive compounds such as essential oils, natural extracts, and chemical substances to produce composite polymers and polymer blends. The findings showed that the incorporation of additive compounds enhanced the packaging's functionality and improved the compatibility of the polymer-polymer matrices and that between the polymers and active compounds. Food preservatives are alternative substances for food packaging that prevent food spoilage and preserve quality. The safety of food contact materials, especially the flavor/odor contamination from the packaging to the food and the mass transfer from the food to the packaging, was also assessed. Flavor is a key factor in consumer purchasing decisions and also determines the quality and safety of meat products. Novel functional packaging can be used to preserve the quality and safety of packaged meat products.

Ethyl cellulose/gelatin-carboxymethyl chitosan bilayer films doped with Euryale ferox seed shell polyphenol for cooked meat preservation

This study evaluated the effects of an edible bilayer containing polyphenols from the Euryale ferox seed shell on ready-to-eat cooked beef products, including the physical, mechanical, antioxidant, and antibacterial capabilities. Here, the bilayer films were prepared by layer-by-layer solution pouring using hydrophobic ethyl cellulose (EC) as the outer layer, and hydrophilic gelatin/carboxymethyl chitosan (GC) as the inner layer. By adjusting the proportion of gelatin to carboxymethyl chitosan, the optical, mechanical, and barrier characteristics of bilayer films were markedly enhanced. Extracted polyphenol (EP) from shell of the Euryale ferox seed performed potent antibacterial property against Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes). The addition of EP to the inner layer of the optimized bilayer film further improved the mechanical and barrier properties of films, and as expected, the film exhibited antioxidant and antibacterial abilities. Additionally, cooked beef and cooked chicken preservation tests indicated that the active bilayer film showed good inhibition of L. monocytogenes and delayed lipid oxidation in ready-to-eat meat products, and significantly delayed the pH, moisture loss, color and texture changes. This study developed multifunctional bilayer active edible films, which has a great potential in the preservation ready-to-eat cooked meat products.

Recent Trends in Active Packaging Using Nanotechnology to Inhibit Oxidation and Microbiological Growth in Muscle Foods

Muscle foods are highly perishable products that require the use of additives to inhibit lipid and protein oxidation and/or the growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. The reduction or replacement of additives used in the food industry is a current trend that requires the support of active-packaging technology to overcome novel challenges in muscle-food preservation. Several nano-sized active substances incorporated in the polymeric matrix of muscle-food packaging were discussed (nanocarriers and nanoparticles of essential oils, metal oxide, extracts, enzymes, bioactive peptides, surfactants, and bacteriophages). In addition, the extension of the shelf life and the inhibitory effects of oxidation and microbial growth obtained during storage were also extensively revised. The use of active packaging in muscle foods to inhibit oxidation and microbial growth is an alternative in the development of clean-label meat and meat products. Although the studies presented serve as a basis for future research, it is important to emphasize the importance of carrying out detailed studies of the possible migration of potentially toxic additives, incorporated in active packaging developed for muscle foods under different storage conditions.

Control of the Growth of Listeria monocytogenes in Cooked Ham through Combinations of Natural Ingredients

In the ready-to-eat food industry, Listeria control is mandatory to ensure the food safety of the products since its presence could cause a disease called listeriosis. The objective of the present study was to carry out a challenge test to verify the efficiency of different combinations of natural antimicrobial ingredients against Listeria monocytogenes to be used in ready-to-eat foods. Six different formulations of cooked ham were prepared: a control formulation and five different formulations. An initial inoculation of 2 log cycles was used in the different products, and the growth of Listeria was monitored at different temperatures and times (4 °C for 17 w and 7 °C for 12 w). Control samples showed a progressive growth, reaching 5-6 log after 3 or 4 weeks. The rest of the samples showed constant counts of Listeria during the entire study. Only samples containing 100 ppm nitrite + 250 PPM ascorbic acid + 0.7% PRS-DV-5 did not control the growth of Listeria at 7 °C after 7 w of storage. The results obtained allowed us to classify the cooked ham prepared using natural ingredient combinations as a "Ready-to-eat food unable to support the growth of L. monocytogenes other than those intended for infants and for special medical purposes".

Cassava starch films for food packaging: Trends over the last decade and future research

Cassava starch is one of the most available and cost-effective biopolymers. This work aimed to apply a bibliometric methodology to identify the most impactful scientific data on cassava starch and its residues for food packaging in the last ten years. As a result, an increasing interest in this subject has been observed, mainly in the past five years. Among the 85 selected scientific publications, Brazil and China have been leading the research on starch-based films, accounting for 39 % of the total. The International Journal of Biological Macromolecules was the main scientific source of information. Besides cassava starch, 41.18 % of these studies added other biopolymers, 5.88 % added synthetic polymers, and 4.71 % added a combination of both. Studies analyzed suggested that different modifications in starch can improve films' mechanical and barrier properties. In addition, 52.94 % of articles evaluated the film's bioactivity. Still, only 37.65 % assessed the performance of those films as food packaging, suggesting that more studies should be conducted on assessing the potential of these alternative packages. Future research should consider scale-up methods for film production, including cost analysis, assessment life cycle, and the impact on the safety and quality of a broader range of foods.

Active Packaging for the Extended Shelf-Life of Meat: Perspectives from Consumption Habits, Market Requirements and Packaging Practices in China and New Zealand

Active packaging (AP) has been developed to improve the safety, quality and integrity of food, and minimise food waste, while its application in meat is scarce. This review aims to describe meat production and consumption culture in China and New Zealand to provide the context for packaging innovation requirements, focusing on the emerging opportunities for AP to be used for the improvement of the shelf-life of pre-rigor, aged, and frozen-thawed meat products. Sustainable polymers utilised in the manufacturing of AP, manufacturing techniques, the release mechanisms of actives, and legal and regulatory constraints are also discussed. Diverse market compositions and consumption cultures in China and New Zealand require different packaging solutions to extend the shelf-life of meat. AP containing antimicrobials, moisture regulating agents, and antioxidants may be used for pre-rigor, dry- and wet-aged products and in improving the quality and shelf-life of frozen-thawed meat. Further innovations using sustainably produced polymers for AP, along with incorporating active compounds of multiple functions for effectively improving meat quality and shelf-life are necessary. Challenges remain to resolve issues with scaling the technology to commercially relevant volumes as well as complying with the rigorous legal and regulatory constraints in various countries.

Innovative Food Packaging, Food Quality and Safety, and Consumer Perspectives

Packaging is an integral part of the food industry associated with food quality and safety including food shelf life, and communications from the marketing perspective. Traditional food packaging provides the protection of food from damage and storage of food products until being consumed. Packaging also presents branding and nutritional information and promotes marketing. Over the past decades, plastic films were employed as a barrier to keep food stuffs safe from heat, moisture, microorganisms, dust, and dirt particles. Recent advancements have incorporated additional functionalities in barrier films to enhance the shelf life of food, such as active packaging and intelligent packaging. In addition, consumer perception has influences on packaging materials and designs. The current trend of consumers pursuing environmental-friendly packaging is increased. With the progress of applied technologies in the food sector, sustainable packaging has been emerging in response to consumer preferences and environmental obligations. This paper reviews the importance of food packaging in relation to food quality and safety; the development and applications of advanced smart, active, and intelligent packaging systems, and the properties of an oxygen barrier. The advantages and disadvantages of these packaging are discussed. Consumer perceptions regarding environmental-friendly packaging that could be applied in the food industry are also discussed.

Green Coating Polymers in Meat Preservation

Edible coatings, including green polymers are used frequently in the food industry to improve and preserve the quality of foods. Green polymers are defined as biodegradable polymers from biomass resources or synthetic routes and microbial origin that are formed by mono- or multilayer structures. They are used to improve the technological properties without compromising the food quality, even with the purpose of inhibiting lipid oxidation or reducing metmyoglobin formation in fresh meat, thereby contributing to the final sensory attributes of the food and meat products. Green polymers can also serve as nutrient-delivery carriers in meat and meat products. This review focuses on various types of bio-based biodegradable polymers and their preparation techniques and applications in meat preservation as a part of active and smart packaging. It also outlines the impact of biodegradable polymer films or coatings reinforced with fillers, either natural or synthesized, via the green route in enhancing the physicochemical, mechanical, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties for extending shelf-life. The interaction of the package with meat contact surfaces and the advanced polymer composite sensors for meat toxicity detection are further considered and discussed. In addition, this review addresses the research gaps and challenges of the current packaging systems, including coatings where green polymers are used. Coatings from renewable resources are seen as an emerging technology that is worthy of further investigation toward sustainable packaging of food and meat products.

Comprehensive Review of Polysaccharide-Based Materials in Edible Packaging: A Sustainable Approach

Edible packaging is a sustainable product and technology that uses one kind of "food" (an edible material) to package another kind of food (a packaged product), and organically integrates food with packaging through ingenious material design. Polysaccharides are a reliable source of edible packaging materials with excellent renewable, biodegradable, and biocompatible properties, as well as antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Using polysaccharide-based materials effectively reduces the dependence on petroleum resources, decreases the carbon footprint of the "product-packaging" system, and provides a "zero-emission" scheme. To date, they have been commercialized and developed rapidly in the food (e.g., fruits and vegetables, meat, nuts, confectioneries, and delicatessens, etc.) packaging industry. However, compared with petroleum-based polymers and plastics, polysaccharides still have limitations in film-forming, mechanical, barrier, and protective properties. Therefore, they need to be improved by reasonable material modifications (chemical or physical modification). This article comprehensively reviews recent research advances, hot issues, and trends of polysaccharide-based materials in edible packaging. Emphasis is given to fundamental compositions and properties, functional modifications, food-packaging applications, and safety risk assessment of polysaccharides (including cellulose, hemicellulose, starch, chitosan, and polysaccharide gums). Therefore, to provide a reference for the development of modern edible packaging.

Clean Label Alternatives in Meat Products

Food authorities have not yet provided a definition for the term "clean label". However, food producers and consumers frequently use this terminology for food products with few and recognisable ingredients. The meat industry faces important challenges in the development of clean-label meat products, as these contain an important number of functional additives. Nitrites are an essential additive that acts as an antimicrobial and antioxidant in several meat products, making it difficult to find a clean-label alternative with all functionalities. Another important additive not complying with the clean-label requirements are phosphates. Phosphates are essential for the correct development of texture and sensory properties in several meat products. In this review, we address the potential clean-label alternatives to the most common additives in meat products, including antimicrobials, antioxidants, texturisers and colours. Some novel technologies applied for the development of clean label meat products are also covered.

Changes in chilled beef packaged in starch film containing sea buckthorn pomace extract and quality changes in the film during super-chilled storage

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of super-chilled storage (-1.3 °C) combined with starch film packaging containing different contents of sea buckthorn pomace extract (SSF, 0, 1, 2, and 3%, w/w) on the quality of chilled beef. The release kinetics, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the film were also measured to investigate its suitability for super-chilled storage. The results of the meat quality assessment showed that the L*, a*, and sensory evaluation values of the SSF-3% samples were significantly higher (P < 0.05), and the pH, b*, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), and total viable count (TCA) were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than the SSF-0%. The release of SBP from the SSF film was controlled by diffusion. Furthermore, SSF-3% was found to have a compact microstructure and good mechanical properties at the end of the super-chilled storage. The results demonstrated that SSF is an effective packaging material for beef at super-chilling temperatures.

Natural Plant-Derived Chemical Compounds as Listeria monocytogenes Inhibitors In Vitro and in Food Model Systems

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen, sporadically present in various food product groups. An illness caused by the pathogen, named listeriosis, has high fatality rates. Even though L. monocytogenes is resistant to many environmental factors, e.g., low temperatures, low pH and high salinity, it is susceptible to various natural plant-derived antimicrobials (NPDA), including thymol, carvacrol, eugenol, trans-cinnamaldehyde, carvone S, linalool, citral, (E)-2-hexenal and many others. This review focuses on identifying NPDAs active against L. monocytogenes and their mechanisms of action against the pathogen, as well as on studies that showed antimicrobial action of the compounds against the pathogen in food model systems. Synergistic action of NDPA with other factors, biofilm inhibition and alternative delivery systems (encapsulation and active films) of the compounds tested against L. monocytogenes are also summarized briefly.

Assessment of the Prevalence and Drug Susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes Strains Isolated from Various Types of Meat

Listeria monocytogenes are the etiological factor of listeriosis, and their main source for humans is food. The aim of the current study was to assess the contamination of various types of meat and the drug susceptibility of isolated L. monocytogenes. Between 2016–2018, 6000 swabs were taken (2000 annually) from the surface of pork, beef, and poultry. The analysis of intermediate and finished product samples was carried out in accordance with ISO 11290-1 (International Organization for Standardization). The genetic similarity assessment of the isolates obtained was based on the Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) method, and drug-sensitivity assessment using the disc-diffusion method. We found 2.1% of collected samples were L. monocytogenes positive. The level of meat contamination varied depending on its matrix. Most L. monocytogenes were isolated from poultry. It was shown that 39 (32.5%) strains were sensitive to all tested antibiotics and eight (6.7%) were resistant to all five tested antimicrobials. Most strains tested were resistant to cotrimoxazole (55; 45.8%) and meropenem (52; 43.3%), followed by erythromycin (48; 40.0%), penicillin (31; 25.8%), and ampicillin (21; 17.5%). High prevalence of this pathogen may be a serious problem, especially when linked with antibiotic resistance and high percentage of serotypes responsible for listeriosis outbreaks.

Bio-based antimicrobial packaging from sugarcane bagasse nanocellulose/nisin hybrid films

Bio-based nanomaterials with antimicrobial functions hold promise in replacing petroleum-based packaging for food preservation. A nanocellulose-based hybrid film with antimicrobial properties was developed from sugarcane bagasse and nisin. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were prepared from sugarcane bagasse pulp by mechanical grinding, and mixed with nisin to prepare CNFs/nisin nanohybrid films. The concentration of nisin has a remarkable influence on the mechanical, light transmission, gas barrier, and antimicrobial properties of these films. CNFs/nisin hybrid films with 1920 mg/L nisin exhibit good light transmission, relatively high tensile strength, low oxygen permeability, and low water vapor transmission rates. This hybrid film was used as a liner of low-density polyethylene plastic packaging for ready-to-eat ham; it completely inhibited Listeria monocytogenes during 7 days of storage at 4 °C. Such novel CNFs/nisin nanohybrid films are expected to expand the application of bagasse nanocellulose in active packaging for food preservation.

Polysaccharide and Protein Films with Antimicrobial/Antioxidant Activity in the Food Industry: A Review

From an economic point of view, the spoilage of food products during processing and distribution has a negative impact on the food industry. Lipid oxidation and deterioration caused by the growth of microorganisms are the main problems during storage of food products. In order to reduce losses and extend the shelf-life of food products, the food industry has designed active packaging as an alternative to the traditional type. In the review, the benefits of active packaging materials containing biopolymers (polysaccharides and/or proteins) and active compounds (plant extracts, essential oils, nanofillers, etc.) are highlighted. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of this type of film has also been highlighted. In addition, the impact of active packaging on the quality and durability of food products during storage has been described.

Antioxidant and antimicrobial applications of biopolymers: A review

Biopolymers have generated mounting interest among researchers and industrialists over the recent past. Rising consciousness on the use of eco-friendly materials as green alternatives for fossil-based biopolymers has shifted the research focus towards biopolymers. Advances in technologies have opened up new windows of opportunities to explore the potential of biopolymers. In this context, this review presents a critique on applications of biopolymers in relation to antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Some biopolymers are reported to contain inherent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, whereas, some biopolymers, which do not possess such inherent properties, are used as carriers for other biopolymers or additives having these properties. Modifications are often performed in order to improve the properties of biopolymers to suit them for different applications. This review aims at presenting an overview on recent advances in the use of biopolymers with special reference to their antioxidant and antimicrobial applications in various fields.

Prospect of Polysaccharide-Based Materials as Advanced Food Packaging

The use of polysaccharide-based materials presents an eco-friendly technological solution, by reducing dependence on fossil resources while reducing a product's carbon footprint, when compared to conventional plastic packaging materials. This review discusses the potential of polysaccharides as a raw material to produce multifunctional materials for food packaging applications. The covered areas include the recent innovations and properties of the polysaccharide-based materials. Emphasis is given to hemicelluloses, marine polysaccharides, and bacterial exopolysaccharides and their potential application in the latest trends of food packaging materials, including edible coatings, intelligent films, and thermo-insulated aerogel packaging.