Evaluation biodegradable films with green tea extract for interleafing sliced meat products

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Polymer Science
• Food Chemistry

Background:

• Meat products are susceptible to lipid oxidation, affecting quality and shelf life.
• Active packaging using natural compounds like green tea extract offers a promising solution.
• Polymers such as corn starch and chitosan can encapsulate and control the release of active compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate active films incorporating green tea extract for use as interleafs in sliced meat.
• To assess the antioxidant activity and release kinetics of green tea extract from different polymer films.
• To determine the efficacy of these active films in reducing lipid oxidation in sliced ham during refrigerated storage.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of active films using cellulose acetate, corn starch, and chitosan with varying green tea extract concentrations (1.0%, 2.5%, 5.0%).
• Evaluation of antioxidant activity using IC50 values and assessment of continuous extract release over 60 days.
• Application of active films as interleafs in sliced ham and measurement of lipid oxidation levels after 60 days of storage.

Main Results:

• The 1.0% green tea extract concentration exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (P < 0.05) across all formulations.
• Active films demonstrated continuous release of green tea extract for up to 60 days.
• Interleafing sliced ham with starch-based films significantly reduced lipid oxidation (P < 0.05) after 60 days of storage.

Conclusions:

• Corn starch-based films with 1.0% green tea extract are effective in reducing lipid oxidation in cooked ham.
• These active films show significant potential for extending the shelf life of refrigerated sliced meat products.
• The study highlights the viability of natural antioxidants in active packaging for improved food preservation.