title: Antimicrobial packaging to retard the growth of spoilage bacteria and to reduce the release of volatile metabolites in meat stored under vacuum at 1°C.
abstract: A nisin-EDTA solution was used for activation of the internal surface of plastic bags that were used to store beef chops at 1°C after vacuum packaging. The aim of the work was to evaluate the effect of the antimicrobial packaging on beef during storage. Volatile compounds and microbial  populations were monitored after 0, 9, 20, 36, and 46 days of storage. The active packaging retarded the growth of lactic acid bacteria. Brochothrix thermosphacta was unable to grow for the whole storage time in treated samples, while the levels of Carnobacterium spp. in treated  samples were below the detection limit for the first 9 days and reached loads below 5 Log CFU/cm(2) after 46 days. On the other hand, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas spp. were not affected by the use of the antimicrobial packaging and grew in all of the samples, with  final populations of about 4 Log CFU/cm(2). Carnobacterium divergens was identified by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of DNA extracted from beef after 36 days of storage. During beef storage, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids were  detected in the headspace of beef samples by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The microbial metabolic activity was affected by the use of the antimicrobial film from the beginning up to 36 days with a maximum in the differences of volatile  metabolites in samples analyzed at 20 days. The volatiles were also determined by electronic nose, allowing differentiation based on the time of storage and not on the type of packaging. The active packaging reduces the loads of spoilage microbial populations and the release of metabolites  in the headspace of beef with a probable positive impact on meat quality.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienza degli Alimenti, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy.
authors: Ilario
authors: I
authors: Ferrocino
authors: Antonietta
authors: A
authors: La Storia
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Torrieri
authors: Salvatore Spagna
authors: SS
authors: Musso
authors: Gianluigi
authors: G
authors: Mauriello
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Villani
authors: Danilo
authors: D
authors: Ercolini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D050296:Microbial Viability; D009561:Nisin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014618:Vacuum; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009561:Nisin; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen