Chitosan and Essential Oils Combined for Beef Meat Protection against the Oviposition of <i>Calliphora vomitoria</i>, Water Loss, Lipid Peroxidation, and Colour Changes
Priscilla Farina,
Roberta Ascrizzi,
Stefano Bedini,
Antonella Castagna,
Guido Flamini,
Monica Macaluso,
Alessia Mannucci,
Ylenia Pieracci,
Annamaria Ranieri,
Maria Calogera Sciampagna,
Francesca Venturi,
Barbara Conti
Affiliations
Priscilla Farina
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Roberta Ascrizzi
Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Stefano Bedini
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Antonella Castagna
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Guido Flamini
Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Monica Macaluso
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Alessia Mannucci
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Ylenia Pieracci
Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Annamaria Ranieri
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Maria Calogera Sciampagna
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Francesca Venturi
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Barbara Conti
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Meat production has a higher economic and ecological impact than other commodities. The reduction in meat loss and waste throughout the whole supply chain is a demanding challenge. In recent years, the interest in the food-grade polysaccharide chitosan (CH) and essential oils (EOs) employed as allies in meat protection has increased. In this work, we selected five EOs obtained from plants traditionally used as spices, and after their chemical characterisation, a trained panel of expert sensorial analysts determined that, among them, Laurus nobilis (Lauraceae) and Piper nigrum (Piperaceae) EOs were the most suitable to season meat. Therefore, the effect of CH, the L. nobilis and P. nigrum EOs, and EOs-enriched CH solutions on meat was tested to assess how they deter the oviposition behaviour of the blowfly Calliphora vomitoria (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and against water loss, lipid peroxidation, and colour changes. All the applied treatments, compared to the control, did not accelerate meat dehydration but increased colour lightness, an attractive feature for consumers, and discouraged the blowfly’s oviposition. In particular, the P. nigrum EO-enriched CH was the most active in repelling C. vomitoria without negatively affecting the organoleptic qualities and shelf-life of meat.
