Abstract
Herein, the effect of incorporation of rosemary essential oil (REO) nanoemulsions with the smallest (98.14 nm) and largest (148.04 nm) droplets' sizes at different concentrations (0%, 2%, and 4% v/v) in Eremurus luteus root gum (ELRG) coating solution on microbial, chemical, and sensory qualities of chicken fillets during cold storage was investigated. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in pH and TBA value and total viable microbial count (TVC) of chicken meat samples after using an active ELRG coating compared with the uncoated sample. Moreover, the properties of active ELRG coatings were more affected by the concentration of REO nanoemulsions than the size of their droplets. More antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were observed in coated samples containing 4% (v/v) REO nanoemulsions (L-4 and S-4). The highest and lowest pHs at the end of storage belonged to uncoated (6.89) and S-4 coated (6.41) samples, respectively. Unlike the control sample (8th day), the microbial population in the active coated samples (>12th day) reached the threshold level (7 log CFU/g) later. The TBA value in the control and coated samples was 0.56 and 0.4-0.47 mg/kg after 12 days of cold storage, respectively. Increasing the REO nanoemulsion content from 2% to 4% (v/v) in the coating solution enhanced the score of sensory parameters such as odor, color, and total acceptance of the chicken meat, especially on the last day of cold storage. The obtained results suggested ELRG-REO coatings as an effective strategy to delay the chemical and microbial deterioration of chicken meat fillets.