Bioactive chitosan packaging films with encapsulated beet leaf extract for preserving chicken fillets

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Minimizing synthetic preservatives and plastic waste is crucial for food sustainability.
• Perishable foods like chicken meat require effective preservation methods to extend shelf life.
• Valorizing agricultural byproducts like beet leaves offers opportunities for natural bioactives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel edible film for perishable food preservation.
• To utilize beet leaf extract as a source of natural antioxidants and pigments.
• To investigate the synergistic effects of chitosan, cellulose nanocrystals, and beet leaf extract encapsulated in mesoporous silica nanoparticles.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an edible film incorporating chitosan (CH), cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), and beet leaf extract (BE) within mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs).
• Characterization of the film's structure and component integration using FT-IR, SEM, and TEM.
• Evaluation of the film's efficacy in preserving chicken meat quality over 8 days of refrigerated storage, assessing pH, oxidation, and microbial growth.

Main Results:

• Successful integration of CH, CNC, BE, and MSNPs confirmed through structural analyses.
• The optimized edible film (2% CH, 2% MSNPs, 1% CNC, 15% BE) significantly inhibited oxidative and microbial spoilage of chicken meat.
• The film effectively moderated pH, reduced lipid oxidation, and suppressed microbial proliferation, maintaining meat quality.

Conclusions:

• The developed edible film is a multifunctional and eco-friendly solution for extending the shelf life of chicken meat.
• The synergistic combination of natural bioactives and nanotechnology provides superior preservation effects compared to controls.
• This approach offers a scalable strategy for sustainable food packaging, reducing reliance on synthetic preservatives and plastic waste.