Thermoplastic starch/polybutylene adipate terephthalate film coated with gelatin containing nisin Z and lauric arginate for control of foodborne pathogens associated with chilled and frozen seafood

In order to control foodborne pathogens on seafood products, an antimicrobial, thermoplastic starch/polybutylene adipate terephthalate (TPS/PBAT; 40/60) film was produced by coating gelatin (15% v/v) containing lauric arginate (LAE; 0.8 mg/cm2), alone or combination with nisin Z (69.4 AU/cm2) to produce LAE-Gelatin-TPS/PBAT and Nisin-LAE-Gelatin-TPS/PBAT films, respectively. Both films were investigated for control of Vibrio parahaemolyticus ATCC 17802 and Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028 on bigeye snapper (Lutjanus lineolatus) and tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) slices during long-term (28 days), refrigerated (4 °C; chilled) and frozen (−20 °C) storage up to 90 days. S. Typhimurium ATCC 14028, experimentally inoculated onto bigeye snapper and tiger prawn slices, treated with the LAE-Gelatin-TPS/PBAT film, and stored at 4 °C was reduced 3.2 log10 CFU/g after 28 days and 7 log10 CFU/g after 21 days, respectively. Nisin-LAE-Gelatin-TPS/PBAT film reduced S. Typhimurium ATCC 14028 on bigeye snapper and tiger prawn slices 3.5 log10 CFU/g after 28 days and 7 log10 CFU/g after 14 days at 4 °C, respectively. The LAE-Gelatin-TPS/PBAT and Nisin-LAE-Gelatin-TPS/PBAT films and storage for 28 days at 4 °C reduced V. parahaemolyticus inoculated on chilled bigeye snapper slices approximately 2.6 and 4.2 log10 CFU/g, respectively. Both films reduced V. parahaemolyticus inoculated on chilled tiger prawn slices approximately 7.1 log10 CFU/g after 28 days at 4 °C. The LAE-Gelatin-TPS/PBAT and Nisin-LAE-Gelatin-TPS/PBAT films also reduced S. Typhimurium, inoculated on bigeye snapper and tiger prawn slices, 5.8 and 5.6 log10 CFU/g, respectively, after 60 days at −20 °C. V. parahaemolyticus was reduced by 5.8 log10 CFU/g on frozen bigeye snapper and tiger prawn slices after treatment with Nisin-LAE-Gelatin-TPS/PBAT film after 14 and 21 days, respectively. However, the LAE-Gelatin-TPS/PBAT film reduced V. parahaemolyticus 5.8 log10 CFU/g on both frozen seafood slices after 28 days. The results obtained from this study indicate the LAE-Gelatin-TPS/PBAT and Nisin-LAE-Gelatin-TPS/PBAT films displayed excellent inhibition against S. Typhimurium and V. parahaemolyticus on chilled and frozen seafood.