Sustained-release modeling of clove essential oil in brine to improve the shelf life of Iranian white cheese by bioactive electrospun zein

• Published in: International journal of food microbiology 2021-10, Vol.355, p.109337, Article 109337
• Main Authors: Tayebi-Moghaddam, Samaneh, Khatibi, Razieh, Taklavi, Sevil, Hosseini-Isfahani, Mona, Rezaeinia, Hassan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antimicrobial; Biopreservative; Brines; Cheese; Controlled release; Dairy products; E coli; Electrospinning; Elongation; Encapsulation; Essential oils; Fibers; Fickian diffusion; Field emission microscopy; Food preservation; Fourier transforms; In vitro methods and tests; Infrared spectroscopy; Listeria; Mechanical properties; Modulus of elasticity; Nanofibers; Oils & fats; Release modeling; Scanning electron microscopy; Shelf life; Tensile strength; Zein
• ISSN: 0168-1605; 1879-3460
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2021.109337

In this study, the sustained-release of clove essential oil (CEO) loaded into the structure of electrospun zein was used as a biopreservative to extend the shelf life of Iranian white cheese. CEO was loaded at levels of 5, 7.5, and 10% w/w in the structure of electrospun nanofibers. In this study, a concentration of 35% w/v zein was used to produce electrospun fibers, and in the field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) it was observed that by increasing the loading of CEO from 5 to 10% w/w in the fiber structure, their diameter decreased from 517.96 ± 41.57 nm to 457.88 ± 32.45 nm. Although increasing the level of CEO reduced the diameter of the electrospun nanofibers, Young's modulus, tensile strength, and a higher level of CEO increased elongation at break of the films. The results of mechanical properties showed that by increasing the amount of CEO application in the structure of electrospun zein nanofibers from 5 to 10% w/w tensile strength from 8.18 ± 0.62 to 4.43 ± 0.86 MPa, and Young's modulus from 38.25 ± 2.81 to 27.25 ± 3.48 MPa decreased. Successful encapsulation of CEO in designed structures and the absence of adverse bonds between the encapsulant material (zein) and the core (CEO) were confirmed by the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) test. The in vitro sustained-release of the CEO in 8% w/v brine during 45 days of storage at 4 °C was modeled. The Fickian diffusion was the dominant release mechanism of the CEO and the Peppas-Sahlin model was the best model describing the essential oil release behavior. The electrospun films containing CEO were well able to suppress the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157: H7 in samples of Iranian white cheese kept in 8% brine for 45 days at 4 °C. The samples treated with the electrospun film containing 7.5% w/w of CEO had the highest acceptability among different treatments. [Display omitted] •Electrospun zein fibers loaded with clove essential oil (CEO) were produced.•Mechanical and morphological properties of the bioactive films were tested.•The Peppas-Sahlin model well described the sustained-release behavior of the CEO.•The bioactive electrospun films were applied to Iranian white cheese.•The growth of L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157: H7 was suppressed in the cheese.