Impact of zein coating impregnated with ginger extract and Pimpinella anisum essential oil on the shelf life of bovine meat packaged in modified atmosphere

In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of zein coating (Z) impregnated with ginger extract (GE) and Pimpinella anisum essential oil (AEO) on microbial, chemical and sensory characteristics of beef samples packaged in modified atmosphere (MAP). The treatments were assessed during refrigerated storage for 20 days. GC-MS analysis exhibited that anethole (78.39%) was the dominant component of GE. Results indicated that meat treatment with zein coating containing GE 3% and AEO, resulted in the highest reduction rate of mesophilic bacteria (4.13 log CFU/g), lactic acid bacteria (2.68 log CFU/g), Enterobacteriaceae (3.84 log CFU/g), Pseudomonas spp. (2.74 log CFU/g), and yeasts–molds (1.99 log CFU/g) as compared to the untreated (control) samples. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of GE enhanced with increasing the concentration and a synergistic effect was observed when combined with AEO. Chemical properties including total volatile nitrogen, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), peroxide value (PV) and pH were notably lower in all treated meats compared to control samples. However, PV and TBARS were higher in MAP only treated meats. Regarding organoleptic properties, Z-GE 3%-A was mostly acceptable the panelists until the last day of experiment. Our findings indicate the potential of zein edible coating incorporated with GE and AEO in reducing the deterioration of fresh beef and improving its shelf life under MAP conditions.