Incorporation of apricot (Prunus armeniaca) kernel essential oil into chitosan films displaying antimicrobial effect against Listeria monocytogenes and improving quality indices of spiced beef.

The spiced beef is exposed to the invading of spoilage bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes. In the present study, the antimicrobial effects against L. monocytogenes of the chitosan (CS) films incorporated with apricot (Prunus armeniaca) kernel essential oil (AKEO) at 0.5% and 1.0% were demonstrated in solid medium, micro-atmosphere, liquid media and spiced beef. In the refrigerated storage for 24 days at 4 °C, compared with the control sample, the levels of peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) of the spiced beef packed by CS films incorporated AKEO at 0.5% and 1.0% were decreased to 4.8 and 3.6 meq peroxide/kg, and 0.5 and 0.4 mg MDA/kg (p < 0.5 or p < 0.1), and the levels for pH and total carbonyls (TC) were decreased to 5.8 and 5.7, and 0.7 and 0.6 nmol/mg protein (p < 0.5 or p < 0.1) on the 24th day, respectively. Furthermore, the sensory evaluation exhibited that the spiced beef packed by CS films incorporated AKEO at 1.0% had better sensory attributes including taste, color, texture and overall acceptance during the whole storage period. Consequently, CS films incorporated AKEO at 1.0% can be developed to be one packaging material for spiced beef.