Effect of pomegranate juice dipping and chitosan coating enriched with Zataria multiflora Boiss essential oil on the shelf-life of chicken meat during refrigerated storage

• Our study introduces a new and palatable chicken meat product.
• This product has characteristic color, taste and texture.
• This product has extended shelf life.
• Pomegranate juice (PJ) produced pleasant sensory effects on chicken meat.
• Combination of PJ with chitosan (CH) coating and Zataria multiflora essential oil (ZEO) was effective in reduction of microbial growth and oxidation.
• PJ-CH-Z 2% had the best inhibitory effect on the microbial growth and chemical changes in chicken breast meat.

The objective of present study was to investigate the effect of pomegranate juice (PJ) and chitosan (CH) coating enriched with Zataria multiflora essential oil (ZEO) on the shelf-life of chicken breast meat during refrigerated storage. Treatments examined were the following: Control, PJ, PJ–CH, PJ–CH–Z 1%, and PJ–CH–Z 2%. The samples were stored at 4 °C for 20 days and analyzed at 5-day intervals. All of treatments significantly decreased total viable counts, Pseudomonas spp., lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Psychrotrophic bacteria and yeasts–molds as compared control during the storage period. Peroxide value, Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance values and protein oxidation significantly were lower in all of treatments than control. PJ gave a pleasant effect on sensory attributes and chitosan coating enriched with ZEO significantly improved sensory scores. In conclusion, PJ can be suggested as a replacement to synthetic preservatives as well as synthetic flavorings in chicken breast meat.Industrial relevanceChicken meat is susceptible to rapid spoilage due to high level protein and moisture. Then, food industries are recently finding methods to extend its shelf-life. The various chemical preservatives are generally undesired by consumers because of their adverse effects. Therefore, natural additives such as pomegranate juice, not only give appropriate color and flavor to foods but also they can extend the shelf-life of foods. The objective of this study was to introduce a new and palatable product resulting from dipping chicken breast meat in pomegranate fruit juice and its preservation with chitosan coating enriched with Z. multiflora Boiss essential oil under refrigerated storage.