Performance of chitosan/γ-polyglutamic acid/curcumin edible coating and application in fresh beef preservation

Abstract

A chitosan-based edible coating was prepared by incorporating γ-polyglutamic acid and curcumin. The physical, mechanical and antimicrobial properties of the chitosan/γ-polyglutamic acid/curcumin edible coating were characterized. Furthermore, the effect of chitosan/γ-polyglutamic acid/curcumin edible coating on the shelf-life of fresh beef was investigated. The γ-polyglutamic acid and curcumin incorporation greatly improved the performance of chitosan coating, including coating formation and antimicrobial activity. After the application of coating, the chitosan/γ-polyglutamic acid/curcumin edible coating had a good protection effect on the color of beef and was conducive to prolonging the shelf life of beef with good quality compared to pure curcumin edible coating. These results revealed that application of chitosan/γ-polyglutamic acid/ curcumin edible coating will be a good way to preserve freshness of fresh beef.