Abstract
This study evaluated the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of postbiotics derived from Bifidobacterium bifidum DSM 20,456 (b1), Bifidobacterium bifidum BB12 (b2), and their combination (bb) in alginate-based edible coatings for fresh turkey breast meat. Coated and uncoated samples were stored at 4 °C for seven days, with microbial and physicochemical analyses conducted at regular intervals (0, 2, 4, 7 days). The postbiotic-enriched coatings exhibited significant antioxidant activity, with total phenolic content (TPC) ranging from 87.13 to 90.89 mg GAE/100 mL and DPPH radical scavenging capacity between 50.28 and 51.56 mg TEAC/100 mL (p < 0.05). While TBARS values were lower in postbiotic-treated groups, the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Water holding capacity (WHC) was maintained at higher levels in postbiotic-treated samples throughout storage. Microbial analysis revealed that total aerobic mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacterial counts were not significantly affected (p > 0.05), whereas Listeria monocytogenes counts were significantly reduced in coated samples (p < 0.05), with the bb formulation achieving a 1.62 log₁₀ CFU/g reduction. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed molecular interactions between postbiotics and the alginate matrix, enhancing coating stability. These findings suggest that postbiotic-alginate coatings effectively inhibit L. monocytogenes while maintaining the physicochemical stability of turkey meat, highlighting their potential in poultry preservation. However, further optimization, such as combining postbiotics with additional antimicrobial agents, is needed to enhance overall microbial control.