177: Effect of UV-C Treated Gallic Acid and Chitosan Edible Coating on Shelf-Life Extension of Poultry Meat

Introduction

Poultry meat is highly nutritious and plays an essential role in the diets of many people around the world. It is highly perishable and is prone to microbial and quality deterioration quickly. With an increase in consumer awareness of health and demand for natural preservatives, edible coatings, a thin layer of edible materials on food surfaces are emerging as an innovative approach to extend the shelf life of food. Our previous study demonstrated that a UV-C treated gallic acid and chitosan edible coating effectively inhibited the growth of Salmonella in planktonic as well as on food surfaces.

Methods

In this study, poultry meat coated with UV-C treated gallic acid and chitosan edible coating over 15-day refrigerated storage and its effect on microbiological and quality characteristics were studied. Microbial growth such as aerobic plate count (APC), Lactobacillus spp., Pseudomonas spp., and quality characteristics such as lipid oxidation (TBARS), color, and pH were measured.

Results

Results showed that this edible coating effectively reduced S. Typhimurium by 1.3 log CFU/sample after 24 hours of storage. During shelf-life studies, significantly lower counts of aerobic bacteria, Lactobacillus spp., and Pseudomonas spp. were found on coated samples than uncoated samples throughout the storage period. Lipid oxidation in coated samples (TBARS value 0.40 mg MDA/kg) was significantly delayed compared to uncoated samples (0.75 mg MDA/kg). Furthermore, the pH of coated samples was better maintained (4.72 to 4.92) than uncoated samples (5.95 to 7.38) during the shelf life. However, the color of the coated meat samples resulted in higher L* and b* values compared to uncoated samples.

Significance

This edible coating has the potential to emerge as a novel approach to extend the shelf-life of meat, inhibiting microbial growth and preserving its quality characteristics. It can have practical applications in the poultry industry, benefiting poultry meat manufacturers.

Authors: Sudarshan Reddy Medagam, Deepti Salvi