Intelligent Packaging Films Produced from Fishery Waste Chitosan Conjugate Discarded Fruit Peel Pomace: Shelf-Life Extension Mechanism of Fresh Pork Loins

Abstract Description: The growing attention on fresh-keeping packaging films has been fabricated to overcome food safety issues in the highly perishable meat industries. Chitosan (CTS)-based functional films have been widely used in food packaging and preservation to replace petroleum-based polymers. This study incorporated jaboticaba (Plinia cauliflora) extract (JAE) into shrimp shell waste-derived CTS as a composite film for preserving pork loin at 4 °C for 21 days. Moreover, the quality changes, pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), lipid oxidation levels, total bacterial count (TBC), color change during the storage period of fresh pork wrapped with polyethylene (PE) film, pure CTS film, CTS-JAE films were evaluated. After 18 days of storage, the pork packed with CTS-JAE films exhibited below the spoilage threshold: pH values (5.75), TVBN (14.4 mg/100g), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (0.817 mg/kg), and bacterial growth (5.43 log CFU/g), which are significantly lower than those of the pork loin packed with PE film and without packaging. The shelf-life of fresh pork loin was effectively extended from 6 to 18 days by using CTS-JAE composite film at cold storage. Additionally, compared with pure CTS film, CTS-JAE has demonstrated enhanced antioxidant capacity, antibacterial properties, and sustained release of JAE into food simulants. Notably, the CTS-JAE 20% composite film demonstrated a 99.7% disinfection rate against gram-negative bacteria (E. coli) within 12 hours, showcasing superior antibacterial activity compared to other composite films. Specifically, E. coli exhibited alterations in surface morphology, losing its smooth surface and rod shape after the treatment. Therefore, developing long-lasting CTS-JAE films extends the freshness of meat and improves the storage quality, which has excellent potential as an alternative to conventional plastic packaging materials to enhance storage quality.